Drowning in Darkness
by Lazeralk
Summary: COMPLETE A shadow has taken Hellsing's cause to heart and Seras is in love. Woe is Arucard. OCxS AxI AxS Newly edited, no new content.
1. Shadows and Death

Drowning in Darkness

By: Lazeralk

Standard disclaimers apply

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 1

Integra Wingates Hellsing studied the files before her, light reflecting of her glasses. She felt a presence enter the room, a sliding, chill wind snaking down her spine. She did not look up.

"Sit down Arucard. I have a new mission for you."

The chair didn't make a sound; there was no breath to move the air, but she knew he had obeyed her, as he always obeyed her.

"We found out who's behind the freaks production. A Russian scientist developed the chip, basing all his information on the vampire Incognito. You are to infiltrate the facility and kill him, any freaks guarding the compound and anyone else who dares to stand in your way. Destroy any remaining chips and bring me a copy of the design for the archives. Raze the building. Go." She said.

"I need more bullets." Was the only reply, the vampire's smooth tenor reverberating through the room.

"Walter has a box waiting for you."

She reached for the wine glass on her desk and lifted her head. The room was empty save her.

0o0o0

Seras Victoria was abominably bored. Her room in the Hellsing house was little more than a stone crypt with a four-poster coffin. Her new position within the 'information division' was the most horrendously degrading thing that had ever befallen her. She'd have to ask her master to suggest a change of task forces for her. That, however, would have to wait until he came back from his mission in Russia. In the mean time, she got to sit in her room, drink some blood and sleep until her commanding officer decided to acknowledge her existence.

The poor fool had been absolutely mortified to have a vampire on his team. She sighed, cursing her boredom. She was officially 'off-duty' until 'further notice', yeah, sure. She might as well settle down to rot for the rest of eternity in that case. She wished desperately for something to happen. Her fingers ached to wield her weapon again, to feel the satisfying kick of the giant gun she'd been given. Walter had forbidden her to practice with it in the shooting range, as the gun she used was the equivalent of an unmounted rocket launcher. The weapon had already been cleaned and polished, the shells loaded and stacked neatly; the only decoration in her dismal room.

Decoration, ah, now there was an idea. She hopped off her bed and pulled open the drawer in her desk. A thick envelope was waiting for her, all of her uncashed paychecks inside. She was a vampire, all her food and shelter was provided for her and she had no use for the money. She'd brought clothes from her apartment in the city and hadn't really though much about getting any more. But now she had a use for it, decorations, why hadn't she thought of that before?

She tucked the envelope into her coat and walked out of her room and up the stairs to the ground level floor. She climbed the stairs to the third where Sir Integra's office was and knocked lightly on the door.

"Enter." Came a voice from within.

She hesitantly pushed it open and walked inside. She wasn't nearly as close to her employer as her master was and she still shook with nerves sometimes. The tall blonde woman was regal and cool; her crisp manner always seemed unfriendly to the fledgling vampire.

"Yes, Victoria?"

"Um…Sir Integra, I just wanted to ask your permission to um…well you see, my room is awfully empty, not that I'm ungrateful to you for letting me stay here, but…well, I thought I might do a bit of decorating. I won't if you don't want me to; it's your house after all…" She babbled nervously.

"Do what ever you want." Said the head of the Hellsing Organization, cutting her off.

"Oh…um…thank you."

"Is that all?"

"Ah…yes ma'am."

"You may go."

"Yes ma'am…"

She turned on her heel and left the room quickly, hurrying down the stairs and out into the yard. She took one of the company cars into town and headed for the bank to cash her checks.

0o0o0

Arucard growled in frustration, he lowered his gun and stared at the smoking ruin of his target. The bodies lay in pieces, blood slowly creeping towards him. Lights and walls were shattered, tables lay broken and forgotten, the other furniture was filled with bullet holes and seeping blood. There was no life left in the place and not a single kill was his.

He turned violently, his power rolling off his figure in waves, smashing anything that lay in his path. Six floors of corpses and ruined rooms, six floors of blood and carnage and none of it was his work. Someone had beaten him to his target and taken it out for him. The vampire was understandably infuriated. With a feral growl, he dissolved into the shadows and made his way back to the Hellsing house. He'd have a word with his master about sending him on pointless missions like this.

0o0o0

A shadow crept along the street, moving with a fluid grace that no human could rival and a silence that only the grave could match. The figure watched as a short blond head bobbed among the crowd, weaving her way through the people and into shops, easily lifting the weight of the many bags she carried.

The shadow tracked her movements, noting her blood red eyes and easy strength, watching her talk to the shop keepers and help the few strangers who tripped or had no free hands to open doors. She lifted a piece of sky blue silk and laughed merrily. The shadow retreated then, the little blonde vampire suspecting nothing.

0o0o0

The door slammed open, jolting her from her relaxed position at her desk.

"Arucard! What the hell do you think your doing?" she demanded.

"Why did you send me on such a mission?" growled the vampire.

"What on earth are you talking about? I sent you on the mission because I wanted that hellhole destroyed."

"Well, you got it. The place was already in ruins when I got there." He hissed.

"Some one else took it out? Who? Did you see anyone?"

"Then you didn't know?"

Silence.

"I think we may have a problem."

0o0o0

A woman screamed, pleading desperately for her attackers to stop, her heels kicking uselessly against the asphalt. The four thugs laughed cruelly, reaching for her with clawed fingers, hissing and flashing their fangs. The streets were dark and deserted, no help was coming, and they all knew it.

"Please, someone help me!"

One of the men opened his jaws wide and smashed her throat with a single bite, nearly severing her head. The others laughed, ripping limbs from the body and greedily drinking the hot, fresh blood. The light above them flickered and died, they didn't care. A sharp whistling sound cut the air and the four young vampires joined their victim, pieces of their bodies falling heavily to the ground, the river of blood making a solid backdrop for the macabre collage of severed flesh.

The light flicked back on and a shadow dissolved into shadow.

0o0o0

"Sir Integra, we have another one. The sixth this week, actually." Said Walter calmly as he presented a few black and white photos to his employer. She studied them silently, flipping through a mound of files on her desk.

"All the victims have been confirmed vampires, ghouls or victims of the victims. It seems someone has decided to take our noble cause as their own."

"Thirty-nine vampires, sixty-two ghouls, and twenty normal humans dead. Arucard! Come here!" called Integra.

The vampire entered through the wall, his red coat flapping around his ankles.

"Take a look at these. Did the people in Russia look like this?" She asked, handing him the stack of photos.

Walter poured her a new glass of wine while they watched him flip through the photos, his expression changing from anger to delight.

"You know, I was pretty angry that someone else was taking all my fun away, but hunting this new hunter may be just the thing I need." He said, tossing the pictures back on the desk.

"The bodies in Russia looked the same, it's one killer. He uses some sort of long blade, probably made of the same stuff as my bullets. See if any of the churches have given out any large blessed crosses. Maybe we can find out exactly what kind of weapon we're dealing with."

"Already done, and we didn't find a thing. Though I think if the blades were made of melted down crosses, the bodies would be dust. But how are they dead at all if it weren't?" said Walter, now very confused.

"A new type of metal that can kill the undead with out turning them to dust? This could be very bad or very good. Arucard, take Victoria and find this person. I want him in Hellsing. If you can't convert him, kill him." Said Integra, folding her hands before her.

"Why am I taking the police girl?" asked Arucard.

"Because the girl's been bored out of her mind. She came to me today and asked if she could decorate her room. Just take her, and I'll have a word with her superiors."

Arucard left the same way he'd come in, through the wall.

0o0o0

Seras had just finished hanging her new light blue curtains over her bricked in windows when her master glided in through the ceiling.

"Get ready to go police girl, we have a mission." He said, still slightly irritated that he had to bring her at all.

"Where are we going master?" she asked, quickly changing into her Hellsing uniform and strapping her bag of ammo to her back. She lifted her huge gun and slung it over her shoulder.

"Around town. We're looking for some fun." He said, the prospect of a hunt bringing a psychotic smile to his face.

"Oh…should I get a different gun then? We don't want people to run screaming at the sight of me." She said, looking at the near five-foot barrel of her weapon.

"Here." He said, pulling his old gun from the depths of his coat and handing it to her. She placed her gun and the ammo box back on the wall and pulled a felt coat out of her closet. The coat was a pepper gray and had black fur trim, reached to her knees and buttoned all the way down. She took the gun her master offered and tucked it in to the inside breast pocket. The coat was loose enough in the chest that it didn't show too much.

"Ready." She declared with a smile.

Arucard resisted the urge to roll his eyes, even though she couldn't see them behind his highly reflective glasses.

"Lets go, police girl."

They walked out of the mansion and all the way into town, not bothering with a car. Seras told him about her new superior and how he blatantly ignored her and how she wanted to go back on a mobile task force, and where she'd gotten her new curtains. She told him she was going to put a mirror over her dresser and get some nick-knacks to make her room a little cheerier.

He listened calmly, not saying anything and wondering if he'd made a mistake in making her a vampire. She was so happy, so full of life, he wondered if she'd grow cold and sad over the years, never aging, always hiding in the shadows, hunting the living and the dead alike. He wondered if she'd ever find happiness now that she was a member of Hellsing, if she'd ever find love.

They reached the end of the street and turned into an ally that led behind the shops. The noise of the streets beyond was nothing but a low hum to any mortal's ears, the same as it always was to the ears of a vampire.

A group of men and women stood around in the darkness, their skin a sickly white. They turned to the two strangers and began to spread out, forming a circle around the two.

"Who are you?" asked one, a piece of pipe in his skeletal hands.

"I don't give my name to scum." Replied Arucard smoothly.

"I know who you are. You're that bitch Hellsing's pet vamp. You took out my brother's coven." Hissed another, a chain thumping against his leg impatiently.

"He's the one? Big Red? He doesn't look like much." Sneered a third.

-On my count police girl.- whispered Arucard in her mind.

-Yes master.- she replied, her fingers aching for the gun in her coat.

"Kill 'em!"

-Now!-

They both drew their guns at the same time, their movements in perfect sync, facing away from each other. They fired, turned opposite each other and fired again. They quickly made their way around in a circle, killing all of them.

"That was strange." Said Seras.

"You noticed it too did you?" asked Arucard, glancing around the now quiet alley.

The heavy shadows around them suddenly lifted and sounds of the street assaulted their ears in full force. The light from the back of the shops shined brighter and the feeling of being watched dissipated.

"Let's go police girl."

"But- aren't we looking for something?" asked Seras.

"We found it."

"Oh."

0o0o0

End part 1


	2. Seras in Love Woe is Arucard

Drowning in Darkness

By: Lazeralk

Standard disclaimers apply

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 2

0o0o0

Dr. Malikai Olsen pulled his hip length wavy white hair into a ponytail. He buttoned his coat and headed for work. He taught British Literature at the largest University in London, and was the leading expert on the preternatural. Today would be his last day teaching before he was transferred to the Hellsing Organization per request of the Queen herself. He was going to be taking over the Information Division, as the field units were short too many men. After the attack on the Hellsing house, the Organization was desperate for new soldiers. Most of the inactive staff had some military training and so, they were bringing in non-military experts to fill the positions those with training were vacating.

While he had no military experience he was by no means out of shape. He worked out at a near-by gym every other day and was quite well built. He was exceptionally tall, with long legs and broad shoulders, a handsome face and a cool disposition. His new lab coat, which had to be specially made to fit his muscular frame, had arrived in the mail yesterday, the red and black Hellsing coat of arms embroidered in the breast pocket.

He opened the door to his classroom and found it empty, as it usually was at six in the morning. He pulled out his notes for his last day and sighed. He ran his fingers through his long bangs and opened his copy of the Book of Exeter. His students began to file in as the clock ticked nearer to six-thirty. When they all arrived, he began his lecture.

"Ok, you all remember that the Book of Exeter is one of the few things we have left of the Anglo-Saxon period, its survived horrid treatment and details the lives of the Anglo-Saxons through poetry. One of the main themes is exile as told to us through poems like "The Seafarer" and "The Wife's Lament". I want you to read "The Wanderer" on page one sixteen and write a comparative essay on these three depictions of exile. Due at the end of class, begin."

His students groaned but pulled out paper and pencil and their own copies of the book and began to read. He sat, and settled down to read his new assigned duties as a Hellsing operative while his students worked.

0o0o0

"Well?" asked Integra as she felt Arucard's presence in the room.

"It's some kind of shadow wraith. It watched us kill a few stupid vamps, then left. I don't know why it didn't attack us though. It didn't seem too picky about the vampires it's slaughtered before." He replied.

"It? Not he? Are you unsure of the gender?" Asked Integra.

"Do shadow wraiths have gender?" he countered.

"Maybe. We'll just say he for convenience sake. Did you see anything?"

"No. Though there was a very strong presence, it completely surrounded us. I'm going out again tonight to look around. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky."

"And Victoria?"

"She preformed beautifully."

"I see."

She dismissed him with a wave of her hand, and went back to her staff lists.

0o0o0

Seras was quite happy to have gone out on the town with her master; he even let her keep the gun he'd given her. He'd said he'd get another one from Walter. She briefly wondered where the older man was, but knew she shouldn't go looking for him. With the loss the Hellsing organization had taken, he was very busy, always running tasks for Sir Integra. She gathered up her money and tucked her new gun into her coat as she'd done the night before and headed out into the city.

She decided to go over to the large mall and try to find a painting for her room, something scenic, preferably in pastels. She walked quickly along the sidewalk, carefully avoiding any puddles. She made it to the mall with moonlight to spare and headed inside.

0o0o0

Malikai was at the mall, his new position would require a few things and he'd stepped out to get them. He hated malls, they crawled with teenagers, all trying to make some bold statement with their clothes and hair and piercings. He had no idea what they were trying to say to the world, and neither did they as far as he could tell. He walked along the halls, drinking his watered down mall coffee and hunted for the various supplies he'd need in this god forsaken hellhole of modern British society.

He really hoped his office wasn't like this, full of people scurrying about like chickens with their heads cut off. Oh well, nothing he could do about it if it were. He spotted a pretty blonde as she ducked into one of those too small art galleries and followed her.

He watched as she walked with feline grace to the far wall, a selection of oil paintings ala Van Gough displayed on mock easels. She stared at a scene of a blissfully lighted glen full of flowers and thick grass, a stream cutting through the middle and a fluffy brown rabbit nibbling on the petals of a wild daisy.

"Lovely, isn't it?" he asked, coming to stand behind her.

"Oh! Yes it is." She said as she turned to look at him. She was such a tiny thing, with short blonde hair and ruby colored eyes. They didn't fit her pretty face, as if they should have been a different color, something softer, more innocent. She was still very beautiful though, with a full figure and a ready smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm Malikai Olsen. A pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand and she took it hastily, shaking very quickly. Her fingers were as cold as ice.

"Seras Victoria. A pleasure." She said, her accent making her sound like a child. It was absolutely adorable.

They smiled warmly at each other for a moment before making polite conversation about any thing and everything. She learned of his teaching and he of her police work. Neither mentioned they were part of a secret organization designed to rid England of the undead. Oh well, they'd find out soon enough.

Seras bought the painting and carried it under her arm as they walked, chatting idly. He was somehow soothed and fascinated with her presence and was content to let her lead him blindly down the streets, stopping a local café for fresh coffee. The hour drew nearer to midnight and he offered to walk her home.

"Oh of course, I'd really like that." She said happily, twirling around with her painting under her arm and skipping to his side.

He smiled, a quick quirking of his lips, and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"You know…no never mind."

"What?" he asked.

"No it's nothing."

"You have to tell me now, you can't just leave me hanging like this Seras."

She loved it when he said her name. He made it sound so much more exotic than it was. They continued down the empty parkway in silence, only the scuffing of their shoes to fill the night. He waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts, sending her a glance every now and then.

"It's just that…you…well, you don't seem to be the type of man who'd spend their time with a girl like me. Don't you like all those ritzy well-to-do women? You know the one's, proper ladies." She ducked her head as she spoke, hiding behind her bangs and staring intently and her moving feet. 'One in front of the other, walk, walk, no don't look at him, he'll laugh so hard when he sees your face.'

"Proper ladies huh? No, I can't stand stuffy girls like that. They're too much like me, and I think I'd go crazy if I had to spend too much time with myself." He said with a smile.

When she'd gathered up enough courage to look at him, he was still smiling; looking at her with jade green eyes. If she'd had the blood to spare she'd have blushed. 'Must drink blood when I get home, if only to look decent the next time I see him.' She thought.

She 'meeped' and covered her mouth with her free hand, her arm brushing against the solid weight of the gun in her coat.

"Something wrong?" he asked, looking at her adorably embarrassed face. She didn't blush though, and he couldn't seem to grasp why that wasn't quite right.

She shook her head violently, her corn silk hair whipping across her face.

'Next time…'

0o0o0

Arucard was bored out of his mind. After two thousand years of life, this was a rather common occurrence. With half a thought he found his master sitting at her desk having tea with Walter and discussing a pack of rouges that he'd probably end up dealing with.

Humans were so boring. All they did was sit around all day and make plans.

With the other half of the previous thought, he found his fledgling and nearly fell out of his seat. His child was…was…flirting, god how he detested that word, with a human of all things! A human! Unacceptable! Weren't fledgling vampires suppose to fall for their masters?

He growled, baring his fangs to a passing maid. The woman fainted, and he left her in the hall. He stalked to the wall and kept walking right through it and ended up coming up through the floor of his master's office.

"I'm going out to find the police girl." He hissed before sliding back down and walking out the wall of the building and falling the rest of the way to the ground below.

A human! Didn't the girl have enough brains to realize that relationships like that just didn't ever work? The whelp would die before she knew it and she'd come sobbing to him and then what was he suppose to do? Two thousand years of walking this earth and there were still things that remained a total mystery to him. Crying women that he couldn't kill was one of those things.

He paced the walkways with the nervous energy of a caged tiger, oh how sweet it would be to walk right up to the mortal and put a bullet in his skull. Miserable bastard wouldn't even know what hit him.

But no, the police girl might not like that and as much as he ignored her, he did care about her. She was his child after all. Better see how much she really likes the human before plugging him and ditching the body somewhere. He'd heard wonderful things about how much free space the Vatican had.

He swept her mind again and gagged. She _really_ liked him.

Damn.

This could complicate things. Maybe if he could permanently hospitalize him or something…

He poked his head out of the shadows and watched as they passed, her arm looped through his.

He dared to touch her…screw hospitalized; he'd put the ingrate in a coma.

"Seras, can I see you again tomorrow night? Walk the park with me?"

The human had one of those deep, rolling voices that girls always swooned over. He was actually quite good looking now that he stopped to notice. It was no wonder his child had fallen for him. He took a moment to feel a twinge of pride for the girl's taste before going back to hating him.

So his little girl had fallen in love (gag, choke, someone shoot me) with the human.

"Of course. I'd like that." Said Seras and he could feel her heart speed up and the little nervous butterflies in her stomach as if they were his own.

He slid along in the shadows, matching them as they walked closer to the Hellsing house and grew more agitated with every passing second. He could feel the ache in her chest grow as she drifted nearer to him and hear the beating of his heart, smell his heated blood.

Oh, if that insolent cretin tried something with _his little girl_…he'd make the fool a vampire and torture the insufferable little brat for the rest of eternity.

The wicked, psychotic smile he usually wore came back to his face as he envisioned the sight of it. It would be glorious, all that blood…

He shivered and settled down to watch them as they approached the main gate.

"Hellsing House?" asked the human, drawing his child to his side with an arm around her waist. Slimy dog, he'd pay for that.

"Um, yes, this is where I live." Said Seras. Stupid.

"I start working here tomorrow. I'm leading the Information Division." He said casually, not looking at her.

"You are? That's wonderful! That's the division I work in. Or really not work in because the man who heads it now completely ignores my existence."

"Well, that most certainly will change. I expect you to report for duty tomorrow." He said with one of those beautiful smiles you knew was practiced. Ok, maybe it was natural but for sake of the argument, it was fake.

"Oh, um…about that…" said Seras.

Oh lovely! He didn't know she was a vampire, the situation was salvageable yet. Without really thinking about it, he stepped out of the shadows and stood shockingly close to them.

"Police girl." He said, startling them both. He loved doing that. Even after a thousand years, some things just never got old.

"Master!"

"Master?"

"The night wanes, and we must hunt. Say good-bye to your human and go change into your uniform. Bring the weapon I gave you last night and meet me here in ten minutes." He ordered.

"Yes master. Goodnight Malikai, I'll see tomorrow night." With that she turned and fled, pushing open the heavy iron gate with a careless swipe of her hand and rushing up the steps to carry out her orders.

He watched her go with his maniac smile and was tickled pink that he'd had the foresight to interrupt them before they did something stupid, like kiss goodnight. He'd have to put a gun to his own head if he ever had the misfortune of witnessing that. Not that the bullet would do much. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

The human, Malikai, gave him a searching look before bowing slightly.

"You are Arucard, the vampire bound to Sir Integra." He said, a question that didn't need answering.

He nodded once to himself, before turning on his heel and walking away.

Arucard watching his retreating back and grinned. The fool was joining Hellsing. Maybe he could ju~st slip and let a bullet hit him on a mission one night. It would serve the wretch right for touching his child. Until then he could amuse himself with playing pranks on the twit.

0o0o0

End Part 2


	3. Calm before the storm

Drowning in Darkness

By: Lazeralk

Standard disclaimers apply

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 3

0o0o0

"These attacks are becoming a major annoyance. Our mysterious hunter goes on a killing spree and we get to do all the paperwork." Said Integra; shuffling through the mound of work she had to do.

"I do hope Arucard catches this hunter, I think it would be rather interesting to meet someone else of our vampire's caliber." Commented Walter, lounging on a sofa across from the desk and playing with his wires.

"Are you so sure of that? Just think, another Arucard in Hellsing. The house wouldn't survive."

"It would be just like him to fight wouldn't it?" laughed the retired agent.

"He doesn't seem to be tiring of it. Do you know what's agitating him Walter? His anger is staring to annoy me." Said Integra as she rubbed at her temples.

"Your bond?"

"Yes, I can get a rather sketchy impression of his feelings and right now he's gleefully plotting some poor sod's death. It's starting to give me a headache."

0o0o0

Arucard, while installing a systems password on Malikai's computer, sneezed.

0o0o0

"Would you like some herbal tea Sir Integra? It would help at least with the headache." Said Walter, as he stood and stretched his long limbs.

"Yes Walter, thank you."

"Right away then."

The aging retainer of the Hellsing family left the room and descended into the kitchens to prepare the tea.

0o0o0

Seras made a minute adjustment to the angle, stepped back and gave the wall and it's painting a calculating stare. She stepped back up to the frame and pushed it ju~st so.

"Ah! Perfect!" she cried.

She stared at the picture then hurried over to the mirror Arucard had given her out of the blue and straightened her skirt. Her master probably stole it from one of the other rooms, but it meant that he'd been listening to her after all. And all this time she thought he just tuned her out whenever she spoke.

"Ok, Seras, now you're just stalling." She said, even as she ran a brush through her hair one more time.

"You know," said Arucard as he came in through her picture sideways and upside down.

"Talking to your self is one of the first signs of insanity."

She scowled at him and he laughed. She ran her hands down her skirt and gave him pleading eyes.

"Master. How do I look?" she asked nervously, wringing her hands. Her skirt was black and just above knee length; her crimson blouse was conservative but showed the skin at her neck. Her leggings and boots were still firmly in place and she'd done something interesting with her hair.

Arucard finished coming out of the wall and once he was back on his feet, stalked around her, one hand at his chin the other holding his elbow. He looked her up and down, from side to side and back again, all the while making little 'hmming' noises.

Arucard, who wore skintight clothes himself, could understand her choice of outfits. He could even commend her taking the gun, tucked under her left arm in a borrowed holster. Judging by the fit and the make, he assumed it was one of Walters's old rigs. She looked very nice.

He'd bite off his own tongue and swallow it before he told her as much but he could admit it to himself.

"You're showing too much skin police girl, are you planning to bed him before the sun rises?" he asked with a sneer.

She blushed, having made good on her promise to drink the offered blood, and looked at her feet.

"Of course not Master. I was raised better than that."

"Good to hear." He said. He stared at her for a moment, his protectiveness warring with his nature as he debated whether to say anything of his own feelings or not. Not won out in the end and he gave her his devil-may-care grin.

"Off with you police girl, and don't do anything I wouldn't. In fact, do everything I would."

"I'm not going to shoot him Master."

"Drat. Not even in the leg?"

"No Master." She said, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. Why couldn't he approve of Malikai? Was it too much to ask that he just be happy for her? Did he even know how much his opinion meant to her?

"I see. Good night. Seras."

Her eyes widened with surprise. Her master called her by her first name. He'd never done that before. It was always police girl or just Victoria, but never Seras. She watched him walk back through the wall, unable to speak, her heart stuck in her throat.

"Master. Why now? Why must you show me this now?" she asked her empty room. What was he trying to tell her? Was he jealous or just being overprotective? Was his affection for her fatherly or romantic? She had no idea.

0o0o0

Malikai twitched in annoyance but refused to scream. So far, he had been locked out of his office and had to wait three hours for a janitor to be summoned with the wrong key. Then another one and a half for the blundering idiot to find the right one. Then his computer demanded a password to be turned on at all and the file cabinets his predecessor had left were locked as well. All his supplies had been mysteriously misplaced or lost forever and someone had loosened a brick in the stairs causing him to trip.

"It's the stupid vampire, I know it is." He grumbled to himself.

Somewhere in the dungeons, Arucard was rolling on the floor, fighting to get enough air into his lungs to continue laughing at his latest victim. Ah, life was good, but death was better.

0o0o0

"Here's your tea, Sir Integra. Are you alright?" asked Walter, setting the steaming china cup on the desk and looking at her pale color and angry eyes.

"Am I allowed to shoot my own men Walter?" she asked, picking up the cup and bringing it gingerly to her lips.

"Arucard again?" he asked.

"Yes." She replied, pulling back after burning her lips a touch.

"What's he done this time?"

"He won't stop laughing for some reason."

0o0o0

Arucard cocked his head to the side a little, listening to his master's conversation. He giggled at her comment and then stopped dead, (no pun intended) and realized that he'd actually giggled. He promptly pulled out his gun, and a spare clip of normal bullets, and held it to his temple.

"Don't ever giggle again." He told himself, then he pulled the trigger and his head exploded in a shower of blood and thicker things, all over the nice washed stone walls.

His head then reformed and, satisfied, he popped the clip out and replaced it with the melted down cross bullets and tucked his gun back into his coat.

Deciding that sitting at home and laughing at the human moron was just this side of pathetic, he pulled his lanky form up and proceeded to the wall.

(Please understand that having just blown his own head to smithereens, he was slightly disoriented and thus, didn't concentrate on his nifty wall-phasing technique too hard and that, while the only excuse he has to offer, it is a rather good one.)

He walked right into the wall, his face smashing into the hard stone and stunning him. He fell flat on his back and stared up and pretty blinking lights for a moment before growling to himself and snapping back to reality.

To his credit, he did manage to walk _through_ the wall on his third try.

0o0o0

Walter, in his own private study, reviewed the latest information his personal network of spies had provided, sipping at a glass of some thing liquid and pink.

Arucard phased through the wall and sat heavily before him, his yellow tinged glasses in his hands.

"Is there something I can do for you Arucard?" asked Walter, not looking up from his papers.

"You know the gun you got me? The new one?" the other began.

"Yes." Answered the mortal, glancing up at him, and taking in his too relaxed pose and dazed red eyes.

"I want another one. I gave the Cassul to the police girl. I'd like another Jackal I think. Yes, that would be nice." Said Arucard.

"Are you alright?" asked Walter, setting down his reports and giving the vampire his full attention.

"Fine. Just shot myself in the head, but I'm fine."

"Why on earth did you do that?" asked the Angel of Death.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. The truth would scar you beyond recovery." Answered the immortal solemnly.

"I see. I will have your gun in a few days. Is that sufficient?'

"It is. What is that?"

"What's what?"

"That, what you're drinking."

"Oh this? It's guava juice, quite tasty actually." Answered Walter.

Arucard just looked at him for a moment, then opened his mouth to say something and closed it again.

"Would you like me to shoot you in the head?" he asked, quite serious.

Walter gave him a scathing look.

"No. Thank you."

0o0o0

Seras shifted her weight from one leg to the other and bit her lip. Malikai was late. She glanced around and confirmed in her mind that this was indeed the place he said to meet for the umpteenth time in the last five minutes. She was just about to turn around and go back to her room when she spotted his white blond head jogging down the road.

"Seras!" he called, coming to a halt before her.

"Sorry I'm late, I had the most horrible day." He explained.

She smiled, careful not to show her fangs and nodded understandingly.

"It's no problem. Shall we?" she asked, making a sweeping gesture with her arm.

"We shall." He laughed, offering his own to her.

"Isn't that my line?"

"I guess it is. Sorry." She giggled as she took his arm, wrapping her own all the way around it.

Her skin was warm, and cheeks were flushed, giving her a much healthier appearance now that she'd fed. She smiled happily.

They walked down the way to the park, neither noticing the burning red eyes that followed their every move.

0o0o0

Arucard could have kicked himself, but after the incident with the wall, he was rather reluctant to rip his own leg off and use it as a self-imposed punishment. Wouldn't want to be walking funny in addition to running into stone walls. He watched the human touch his child and felt an involuntary twitch begin in his left eye, his fists clenched and he silently bared his fangs. His gun sort of materialized in his hand, he looked at it and couldn't remember drawing it. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad so he settled on both. Good that he could draw without thinking about it, bad that he couldn't use it on the mortal fool in front of him. He scowled and tucked the gun away, no use in keeping it out if he wasn't going to use it.

Oh well, there would always be next time.

0o0o0

End Part 3


	4. Blood and Light

Drowning in Darkness

By: Lazeralk

Standard disclaimers apply

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 4

0o0o0

Integra stood, her legs aching from having to sit so long (sorry, my fault) and walked across her study to her bookshelf. She ran her finger along the bindings until she found the one she wanted and pulled it down. In neat, slightly crooked handwriting was her name, written by her clumsy fourteen-year-old hands. The book was a diary, recounting the events of her life after Arucard had been freed; detailing the different ways she'd wanted to kill the smug bastard while she was growing up. Ah, the innocence of youth.

She flipped it open and scanned through the pages one by one, passing entrees of blockish writing with sketches and doodles in the margins. Then she came to the page she wanted, a large sketch in the center. A human figure that might have been Arucard, or maybe a deformed giraffe, hung from the wall, his arms chained above his head, just as she'd found him all those years ago, and a large cross sticking out of his chest, blood pooling on the floor. She brought the book back to her desk and laid it beside a black and white photo of a recent vampire slaughter, courtesy of their mysterious hunter. The positions were the same, the images nearly identical.

"Arucard!" she yelled, slamming the book shut and flipping it over. There was silence for a moment before figure in red entered the room, power still radiating angrily off him.

"Yes, master?" he hissed, his voice straining not to scream.

"Has anyone entered this room other than yourself and Walter in the last two days?" she asked, her fingers splayed over the photo.

He immediately sobered, the implications of the question making his face shut down into a black mask with a maniac smile. Had someone broken in and taken something, without him knowing about it? Absurd, though if it were the case, he was either slipping in his old age or they had a traitor.

"Not that I know of." He answered, his voice bland and empty of the anger he'd shown earlier.

"Find out Arucard. Someone went through my journals and this is the result." She said, her voice tight. She handed him the photo and reached for a cigar.

He took it and stared at it for a long time, before his smile widened, (if that's even possible)

"This is the position I was in when we first met. And the cross is from the page in your diary." He said.

"You looked through my diary?" she asked, her voice quite dangerous.

"Of course not Master, I looked through your head."

"Don't ever do that again." She ordered.

He nodded, not really listening to her anymore.

"The way I see it, we have three possible culprits. The first is a powerful psychic, the second is a traitor and the third is a very cunning thief. No thief could have crossed my seals and not triggered them. Unless the thief is sorcerer as well." He said.

"Great. Just what I need, a psychic, a traitor or a magic user."

"Could it be that the shadow we hunt is already among us?" asked Arucard.

"If he is, then we've severely underestimated his talent, _and_ he's disobeying orders."

"Shall I hunt?" asked the vampire.

"Yes, go right ahead."

Arucard gave her a mock bow before dissolving through the floor.

0o0o0

Seras laughed, her whole body shaking with amusement. Malikai laughed with her, sending her a sideways look.

She lifted a glass of wine to her lips and tried to drink and laugh at the same time. It would have worked too if her master hadn't appeared out of thin air no more than a foot in front of her.

She spit out the wine in her mouth and the glass shattered on reflex. The broken glass cut her fingers and she looked down at them in wonder.

"Seras, you're bleeding." Said Malikai, picking up a napkin and wrapping it around her fingers.

"I'm alright Malikai, it doesn't even hurt." She turned to her master who was quietly laughing at her.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We had another murder, and the hunter added a rather – personal touch to the death. Something personal to my master." He said.

"Oh no! She's not hurt is she?" asked Seras as she stood, discarding the bit of paper around her hand. The wounds were already healed.

"No, but she believes someone entered her study and went through one of her journals. The murder was a scene from her childhood recreated." Said Arucard, motioning for her to follow him as he spoke.

Malikai sat unhappily in the background, his fingers clenched.

Seras, entranced by her master's news, totally forgot about him.

'Serves the incompetent right.' Thought Arucard.

Neither noticed when his hand reached out and took the napkin with Seras' blood on it and stuffed it into his pocket. He frowned at their backs and silently apologized to Seras.

They made their way along the streets in quiet, headed back toward the Hellsing house. A scream pierced the night air causing both their heads to snap to the right. Arucard glanced down at his child and nodded in the direction of the vampire attack in progress. Seras briefly touched the gun under her arm and her face fell into hard lines.

Arucard turned and walked away, his long legs eating the ground easily. Seras had to jog to keep up, in high heels ("God damned shoes!") and a short skirt.

The came upon an alley (why do these things always happen in alleys?) and watched a men get his head torn off and his guts introduced to the light, a classic, boring scene of carnage that Arucard had been witness to and had participated in a thousand times before.

He pulled out his gun and took his time aiming. The light flickered out and they were lost to darkness. A shadow descended onto his target and blades, nearly five feet long, flashed.

The hunter had arrived. Arucard re-aimed his gun and fired before the shadow could get away. He hit the figure in the leg and it went down, knees slamming to the ground with an audible thud. The creature made no sound other than that.

The last of the vampire thugs came at it with clawed fingers only to be cut down with a cross shaped double strike. The man let out a gurgled shriek before splitting into four pieces and falling to the ground to join his brothers in true death.

"Hello." Said Arucard, figuring it was the most proper greeting. His maniac smile made it a little less genuine though. "My master, Sir Integra, sends her greetings and asks you to consider joining Hellsing. What do you say, come hunt the undead with us?"

Arucard strained to see the shadow cloaked in shadows. It was difficult, even with his vampiric eyes, and he could only make out a faint outline.

The figure was silent.

"Won't you give back the light?" he asked.

"Really, we won't hurt you, we just want to talk." Said Seras, coming forward with empty hands and a hesitant smile.

The figure struggled to stand, using the blades as hand holds to pull itself up. The light returned to normal and Seras let out a gasp. Arucard's eyes widened in surprise, as they took in long raven hair, kohl eyes and the shapely body of a woman in her prime.

"You," she said, her voice a soft alto, "Are sickeningly skinny."

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Actually Master, she has a point." Said Seras sheepishly.

"I am not too skinny." Arucard returned stubbornly.

"Um."

"Whatever police girl, so Wraith, what do make of my offer?" asked the vampire, turning his attention back to the woman.

"Why? What do you have that I don't?" she asked.

"Resources, information about your targets. Your hunting for a specific vampire, aren't you? That's why you've been killing so much. You're leaving the corpses as a challenge. That last one you did, with the cross in the chest, it was a challenge to my master wasn't it?"

"It was. She is the only one to answer any of my challenges. She is worthy. I will join you for three months time, if you cannot aid me in my hunt or offer me reason why I should stay, I will leave, and return to hunting on my own." She said, standing up a little straighter.

Something silver popped out of her leg and hit the asphalt with a 'ping'. She walked to meet them and waited patiently, there was no sign of her earlier injury.

"Ladies first." Said Arucard, bowing and making an extravagant sweep with his arm. She passed him and he noticed that she was no longer carrying her blades, the weapons had vanished and he had no idea where they were or when or how they got there. His eyes narrowed and he mentally told himself to be on guard at all times. This woman was dangerous, and he'd been right not to trust her at his back.

"Um, this way." Said Seras, turning her back to the woman and leading her down the street and out of the ally. When they arrived back on the main road, they walked abreast, Seras and Arucard on either side of the mysterious woman.

"So, uh, what's your name? I'm Seras."

"I have none. A name is human concept my people never bothered with." She answered.

"Oh." Said Seras, he feeble attempt at conversation ending before it even began.

"What are you?" asked Arucard, not looking at her as they walked.

"There is no name for us among your kind, nor among mine. We do not feel the ridiculous need to label everything, as you do." She answered, her voice filled with a sarcastic scorn.

They walked the rest of the way to Hellsing house in silence with suited the eldest two and made Seras squirm.

Walter met them and the door and escorted them up to Sir Integra's office. The blonde woman was seated behind her desk, a cigar between her lips.

"This is Sir Integra, the leader of the Hellsing Organization. Please, have a seat."

The woman with no name walked in and sat on the chair nearest the door, turning it to watch all the people in the room.

"Well?" asked Integra of Arucard.

"She is the hunter, and has agreed to become one of Hellsing for three months in exchange for information regarding all known vampires. She's hunting for a specific one." He answered. The rest of the information he'd gathered he whispered into her mind.

"I see. Welcome to Hellsing. We'll do what we can to help you. I hope you understand that you will be placed on level with Arucard and will be handing all freelance missions with him from now on. If you have any requests or needs, Walter will see to them. A room has been prepared for you downstairs." Said Integra.

"Thank you Sir Integra. For now you may call me Shadow, as I have no human name."

"Very well Shadow. Dismissed."

They all trooped out of the room save Arucard, who lingered, sensing that his master was not finished speaking to him.

"Right this way Miss Shadow." Said Walter, showing her to a lavish room on the ground floor. There was a large four-poster bed, a set of chests and a vanity. A door leading off the main room led to a bathroom and a closet within. There were no windows.

Shadow nodded and looked around it, not really seeing everything. She looked beyond the walls to the blood red pentagram that floated above the house, unseen by mortal eyes.

0o0o0

"You wished to speak with me master?" asked Arucard.

"Yes. I have a mission for you regarding Miss Shadow. Keep her here, I don't care what it takes, bribe her, blackmail her, seduce her, whatever, but when three months is up, I want her to stay in Hellsing. Understand?"

"Yes my master."

"Dismissed."

0o0o0

End part 4


	5. The Plot Thickens

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 5

0o0o0

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, it really makes my feel special. This chapter is for you.

0o0o0

Malikai, once more seated before his computer, pulled out the napkin with the bloodstain and carefully squeezed it to get a drop of the precious fluid onto a microscope slide. He flattened it with another piece of glass and slid it into a small box specially designed for it. He wrote 'Seras' on the top and tucked the box into an envelope.

He'd analyze it later.

0o0o0

"So Shadow, tell us about yourself."

"No."

"Look, Wraith-girl, we need to know about why you're hunting this vamp. Anything you can tell us might be a clue. The older the vamp the crazier, and they like to leave their own special calling cards." Said Arucard.

"Wraith girl?" asked Shadow throwing him a strange look.

"You're a shadow wraith aren't you?"

"No, I'm a Shadow Walker. Shadow wraiths are human myths. You do have a point however, so be silent. I will only explain this once." She sat gracefully in an over stuffed chair in Integra's office. Arucard and Seras were there as well, also seated around the heavy piece of wood. Walter stood by the door, ever patient.

"My people are Shadow Walkers because that is what we do. We walk shadows, or rather the space in between the worlds. Your world extends infinitely in all directions, and yet is contained not by space of physical limitations but by a force of power that separates realities. In truth all universes occupy the same space, which is indefinite. A thin barrier made of the substance of time is the only thing dividing this world and thousands of others. There is space between those barriers because to share a barrier would result in the worlds eventually merging. This space is both guarded and inhabited by my people. We are born of shadows and cannot die, just as shadows can never truly die, simply fade and then reappear. Do you follow so far?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably at the thought of bearing all her secrets.

Arucard nodded, so did Integra and Walter. Seras was not so lucky. The curses of being blonde.

"I said before that a name is a human concept that we don't bother with, this is because we are highly psychic. We have no need of names when we can simply project the image of the person we are talking about in each other's minds. Words are used only when necessary as entire concepts can be shared mind to mind in the blink of an eye. By our laws only certain Shadows are allowed to cross the barriers into mortal worlds. I am one of them. We research each world, and keep a vast archive. There are two levels to the Shadow Realm, the Shallows and the Deep. The Shallows are accessible to vampires and certain humans who possess the talent. No non-Shadow Walker has ever passes into the Deep. Ever. Now, this next concept I'm going to explain is very important, the very basis of my hunt." She said, she took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts and turning them into words that a creature that had grown up on such a pitiful form of expression could grasp.

"Unlike your society, we have no monetary system. We don't trade, we don't manufacture and distribute. We simply create. Within the Shadow Realm one's will rules all things. If something is needed, we will it into existence and it becomes an extension of ourselves, dependent on our life force and the coherent thought to maintain its existence." She seemed to stress the words 'dependent' and 'extension', as if they were fundamentally important.

"If a Shadow fades then all the things it has created fade as well, understand? They fade and cease to be because there is no longer a will to support them."

She looked around the room and watched Arucard nod, Integra rub the bridge of her nose, Walter smiled a little and Seras just looked lost.

"I was away, on assignment for the Library when it happened. In this world actually, but researching calligraphy in Japan. I was gone for a total of five days before I returned to the Deep, there was nothing. My whole civilization had been wiped out. There was nothing in the darkness, save my room and the things inside it that I had created for myself. All of my people are gone, my home is gone. My friends and family have faded, and with them all traces of their existence."

There was a ringing silence after that, Shadow closed her ebony eyes, the muscles in her face tightening with a pain she would not voice.

"You really think a vampire could have wiped out your whole race?" asked Arucard looking at her as if he doubted her words.

"My people are not warriors Arucard, only those who are sent Beyond receive any training in combat. Our purpose was to keep mortals from crossing from one world to another and that was all."

"I'm so sorry for you Miss Shadow." Whispered Seras, who at least understood the pain of loosing something close to the heart.

"Thank you Miss Seras." She whispered in return, pulling her hip length obsidian tresses over her shoulder and carefully braiding it. She stroked her hair with long slender fingers, over and over in a nervous cycle.

"I don't know of any vampire that could possibly have done that, even with five days of eternal night." Said Arucard, a finger tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Perhaps if I could go into the Shadow Realm and taste the energy there. Any thing that could kill all of your people-"

"No, they aren't dead. You can't kill a Shadow Walker, it isn't possible. They've faded and are somehow being kept from coming back. Some magic is keeping them from reforming." Said Shadow harshly.

"Magic huh? Sounds like fun. Some one as powerful as that would make my ideal opponent." Said Arucard as he cackled with mad delight.

Integra rolled her eyes.

0o0o0

"This is it?"

"Yeah, it's fresh too." Replied Malikai.

"Good. With your findings we could be very rich men indeed. Keep your cover Olsen."

"Yes sir."

"Good night then."

"Good night." Said Malikai to the car as it moved down the alleyway.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and headed back to the street corner to call a cab. He'd analyzed Seras' blood and was still numb with the results. No vampire had a right to be what she was, and he'd see her destroyed if it was the last thing he did. Besides, he did care for the girl, she was better of destroyed than in the hands of his master.

0o0o0

Walter stood, stretching his long legs without really moving before walking to the open cabinet in his room. The Hellsing retainer was off duty and he knew he should be sleeping, God knew he needed it. But he couldn't close his eyes for more than a few minutes at a time. He pulled his gloves out of the cabinet and put them on, his fingers flexing and feeling the wires hidden in them.

Something bad was coming, he could feel it.

0o0o0

Seras Victoria was deeply troubled. Something was wrong with her and she didn't know what it was. She thought of going to Malikai, but no, she couldn't do that. She didn't want to risk her relationship with him. She'd thought of asking her master, but no, he'd just laugh at her. She didn't know Sir Integra well enough to have a girl talk with, and Walter was simply out of the question.

So she lay awake in her bed, staring at the roof of her coffin and did nothing.

0o0o0

Shadow was in one of the many training room, her slender figure sat cross-legged in the middle of a large padded mat, hovering three feet above the floor. He long blades hovered next to her, the hilt just below her open palms. The swords were shaped like katanas with the exception of the hilts. They were of a similar design to police batons, a short stick to grip attached to a long piece that braced along the underside of the forearm.

Her eyes were closed, her breathing very even. Her body was motionless, no sense of movement from her other than her breathing, as if only her lungs were real and alive and the rest of her was dead.

Arucard walked into the room, knowing that his master was silently proud of him for using the door like a normal sane person would, and watched her for a moment before pulling a Beretta out of his coat and throwing it at her. Her hand snapped out and grabbed it by the barrel, and only then did she turn to look at him.

He drew his own gun, the Hellsing .454 Jackal and aimed it casually at her head.

"Come Shadow, fight with me. The bullets are lead."

Shadow smiled and aimed her own weapon, the blades at her side vanishing as if they never were.

"As you wish."

0o0o0

End part 5


	6. Fights and Frights

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 6

My thanks again to all the reviewers; you make me keep writing this thing,

0o0o0

Neither of them could remember who fired the first shot, but as soon at the round left the chamber they both sprang into action. Shadow turned sharply on her heel just as Arucard rushed her; she spun out of the way giving him her back and slammed her elbow into his face. He took it without flinching and shot her point blank range at the small of her back. The shot would have severed her spine and crippled her for life had she been human.

Darkness descended all around them and Shadow healed, she turned to her left, slammed her elbow into his neck, carried through with the movement and punched him in the chest with a right hook. The gun materialized in her hand and she emptied the clip into his chest.

He laughed, his blood rushing with glee, spilling all over the floor in crimson waves before retreating back into his fully healed body. He'd never had so much fun. She scowled and tossed the gun aside; she rushed him and drove him back into a wall, her hand digging in his chest. She touched and first bullet and smirked. The shadows converged again and she pulled a blade out of him, made from the bullets she'd just shot him with.

He gagged on the magic that was thick in the air, fought to see in the blinding shadows. He felt the blade coming out of him, slowly. It was knife really, maybe a foot long, and very thin. There wasn't much metal in the bullets, but there was enough. She slashed downward with it, caught him across the throat. He reached up and backhanded her into the far wall. She flipped in mid air and landed with her feet against the wall, then launched her self back at him. She threw the blade with the force of her momentum and heard a satisfying 'thunk' as it sank home.

He smiled, a truly happy smile, pulled the blade out and threw it right back at her. He followed the blade with a bullet. The knife sank into her neck the bullet into her head. She pulled the knife out of her and it was longer, the hole in her head closed up but no bullet popped out. He laughed, understanding what she was doing and emptied his clip into her stomach.

She plunged the knife back into her body and waited. Arucard nearly drooled with delight and anticipation when she drew a sword out of her self. She arched at eyebrow at him.

He licked his lips and charged.

0o0o0

"Malikai?" asked Seras, softly knocking on the door to his office.

"Hey." He said, opening it for her.

"Hey." She answered, suddenly nervous.

"You wanna sit down?" he asked, pulling out a chair for her.

She took it, not really looking at him and twisting her hands in her lap.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Malikai. I- well, promise you won't tell?" she asked, looking up at him with pleading ruby eyes.

"Sure, what's wrong, you don't look so good." He said kneeling before her and holding her hands in his, rubbing her skin with his thumbs.

"Something's wrong with me Malikai. Something's- something is growing. Inside of me. I'm not pregnant Malikai; I'm still a virgin. I can't be pregnant, it's not possible. So what's happening to me if I'm not?" she sobbed.

"Something, inside of you? Are you sure?" he asked.

"Of course I'm sure. I can feel it. Here." She said pulling his hand to rest on her stomach. He jerked his fingers away when he felt something kick.

"Come with me. We're going to get an ultra-sound." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of his office and down the hall to the med lab. Only one doctor was on duty with a handful of nurses.

"Doctor Cunningham, we need an ultra-sound." Said Malikai.

"Already? Damn, looks we won't be getting together that betting pool after all." Said Dr. Cunningham merrily even as he handed Seras a hospital gown and led them to one of the private rooms.

Seras blushed. Malikai sighed heavily.

"It's not that! Really!" said the blonde, her voice just a tad too high pitched for her own liking.

"Of course it's not dear. This way please. Do you need help changing?" asked the doctor kindly. He didn't believe a word she said.

"No thank you doctor." Said Seras hotly as she began stripping. She stood in her bra and underwear and glared at them.

"Out!" she cried, pointing to the door.

They both sighed and left, giving her figure a once over before the door closed.

"Men…" she grumbled as she finished changing.

0o0o0

Arucard was currently on the floor in six pieces. Apparently sword was Shadow's weapon of choice. He pulled himself back together, reforming in a mass of blood and thicker things, his hands still gripping his gun. He aimed it at her face and pulled the trigger before he was even fully regenerated. She dodged the bullet and closed the distance between them.

She spun, and her blade bit into his half formed flesh at nose level, she kept spinning once twice three times, again and again, moving down ward in her spiral. She'd hit him at the neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, hips, thighs and knees. She stopped and leapt backwards.

Arucard stood frozen, trying very hard not to move. He knew that if he did, he'd be back on the floor in twice as many pieces as he was before.

"Give up?"

"No." he said and it was his undoing. His legs fell out from underneath him, his whole body collapsing in on itself in twelve neat pieces like steaks waiting to be packaged and shipped off to the grocery store.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked, shifting her weight to one leg like all girls did and looking down at the half of his face that contained his eyes.

"I'm sure." Said his disembodied mouth before the mass of meat and blood he'd been reduced to melted into darkness and he began to reform all over again.

0o0o0

Seras had never been in a hospital before. She'd always been a good girl, doing what her papa told her to do and as a result, she'd never broken a bone or had to have stitches in her life. The one time she'd ever thought she would be going to the hospital had been when Father Anderson had put one of his blessed blades in her throat. The wound had closed very quickly though and she hadn't even needed a doctor to look at it.

Now she sat on a bed with a paper cover in a gown that left very little to the imagination and looked around at the sterile whiteness of the room. The door opened, drawing her attention, and Malikai stepped in followed by Dr. Cunningham and a nurse rolling a large cart with a monstrous machine on it.

"Ok, let's get this started." Said the doctor happily, lifting up her gown at exposing her stomach. The nurse handed him a jar of clear cream and began hooking up the machine and starting it up. He spread the cream on her stomach and smoothed it out, using his fingers to gently prod at the thing growing in her. He felt it pulse and drew his hand back, giving her a concerned look.

"Miss Victoria, this early in a pregnancy, you should not be showing any signs of movement. You haven't gained a pound at all, and it concerns me that your baby may not be a baby at all."

"I'm not pregnant Dr. Cunningham, I'm still a virgin. Whatever is in me isn't a baby." Said Seras, unconsciously reaching out for Malikai. He took her hand without a word and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles.

"Then, what could it be?"

"I-I don't know."

0o0o0

Shadow stared very intently at the way her blade was positioned, trying to get it at a perfect forty-five degree angle. Arucard was glaring at her, trying to tell her what he couldn't with words. His gloved hands were wrapped around her neck squeezing with all his vampiric strength.

Shadow's sword-made-out-of-bullets was wedged up underneath his jaw, pinning his mouth closed. The tip of the blade was sticking out the top of his head, slowly dripping blood. His jaws worked but he couldn't get them to open around the sword. It was his own fault he was in this predicament, he knew, he had tried to bite her when he'd run out of bullets.

She growled at him, twisted the blade counterclockwise, scrambling his brains. He tightened his grip on her neck, more pinning her in place than choking her. She let go of the blade with one hand and dug in his coat for his gun. He arched an eyebrow at her and smirked to the best of his ability.

She smiled back at him and glanced at the part of the blade that was sticking out of his head. The shadows pulsed with her power and he suddenly had a sword in his skull and a loaded gun at his temple.

He growled low in his throat and tried to jerk his head to the side. She held the blade firm and pulled the trigger. Arucard's head exploded in a shower of blood and thicker things all over the floor, courtesy of his own gun. Again. God damnit.

0o0o0

The nurse handed Dr. Cunningham the sensor and stepped back ready to be of service if it was needed. He moved the sensor over her stomach in soft regular patterns and directed her attention to the screen on her right. The image was fuzzy, mostly black with lines of white. They looked at it in confusion, moving the sensor to get different parts of the picture and still couldn't figure out what it was.

Seras was silently terrified. That thing was inside of her and she didn't know what it was or why it was moving. She clung to Malikai's hand and fought back her tears.

Malikai was disturbed, the picture made perfect sense to him, who had been studying vampires all his life. He knew exactly what it was. That thing was the reason he had to kill Seras Victoria, that thing could not be born. He tightened his grip on her hand and silently apologized for what he knew must be done.

Seras kept looking at the picture and it suddenly made sense to her. Her brain finally recognized the shapes it was presented with and she jumped, throwing the sensor across the room. She drew in her breath and let the tears go, feeling the hot blood trailing down her cheeks as she shrieked at the top of her lungs.

"Master!"

0o0o0

Arucard worked his jaw; his head newly regenerated and rolled his shoulders back. He sighed when he felt them crack.

-Master! - Rang through his head and he froze, caught up in the torrent of emotion he was getting from his child. She was drowning in fear, confusion, shock, anguish, pain, and betrayal.

"I'll kill the bastard." He said calmly, pocketing his gun and turning to walk through the wall towards the med lab.

Shadow dropped the sword and moved to join him. They walked through the wall together, leaving the wrecked training room to the darkness. The sword on the floor dissolved into nothingness and then reformed into a handful of slightly mashed bullets.

They came out the other side of the wall and kept walking, Arucard hissing and snarling, Shadow calm and silent. They arrived in the med lad at the same time, both walking out of the wall. Arucard took one look at the sobbing Seras, the ultra-sound equipment and backhanded Malikai with enough force to throw him into the wall, but not enough to snap his neck.

"Come to me my child." Said Arucard opening his arms to his crying fledgling.

"Master!" she cried, burring her face in his coat.

Arucard growled at them all and let his gaze come to rest on the doctor.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Miss Victoria is pregnant with something not entirely human." Said the quivering doctor.

"She's _**what**_?"

0o0o0

End part 6


	7. More Drama

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 7

I really love you guys! This story would still be on chapter 3 with out you.

0o0o0

Integra slammed down the phone in her bedroom. She'd just gotten a call from Dr. Cunningham down in her infirmary and was supposed to be down there 'stat'. She'd promised herself that she'd try very hard not to shoot him when she saw him for waking her up and three twenty-seven in the freaking morning. This was her sleep time. Her only sleep time. Curse the ingrate who dared to wake her to the deepest pits of hell.

Grumbling she pulled on her robe and stalked to the med lab with a gun naked in her hand. This had so better be worth it or she'd go homicidal, simple as that.

She threw open the door to Seras' private room and glared. Arucard was whispering soothingly to Seras who stood in the circle of his arms sobbing her heart out. Malikai was sitting on the floor with a dazed expression on his face, Shadow stood off to the side, bodyguard style, and Dr. Cunningham was looking very grim.

"This had better be good." She hissed.

"Sir Integra…Seras is-"

"The police girl is pregnant with The Blade to Call All Darkness." Said Arucard. The vampire he was holding cried louder.

"The what?" asked Integra.

"The Blade to Call All Darkness. There's an old prophesy in the writings of my maker that said this would happen. A vampire would bring into the world a weapon that could call the night at any time. A vampire's greatest weapon."

"You sound like you're quoting."

"I am. This is very bad. This blade cannot be born. It's too powerful a weapon, wars would be started, and the Hellsing organization would not be able to contain it. Don't you understand? Vampires all over the world would rise up and slaughter each other for the right of claiming the blade for themselves. It must be destroyed."

"How?" demanded Integra.

Seras looked up at her master, fear coursing through her veins like ice.

"We have to remove it before it's fully matured and then destroy it somehow." Arucard replied, not looking at the child in his arms. He could not hurt her, and yet he had too. She was his child, his responsibility, his to teach, his to protect. He could not harm her.

"Master." Said Seras, her voice trembling, afraid, pleading desperately for her master to just deny it. She wanted nothing more than for him to say that it would be all right, that everything would work out in the end. She wanted him to tell her that they weren't going to kill her because something evil was growing inside of her body.

"Seras." He said, she buried her face in his chest again and couldn't seem to stop shaking.

"Seras look at me." He said, tilting her face up to meet his eyes with a gentle hand under her chin. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut short.

"She must be killed." Said Malikai as he slowly pulled himself up the wall. Blood dripped from his split lip, coating his teeth in a sheen of cherry red. A large purple bruise was beginning to form on the entire left side of his face, splotches of angry red and blue marching across his skin.

Seras looked at him with horror on her face, her eyes wide and bloodshot, giving them the appearance that they were completely red with no whites at all. She clutched tighter to her master, a low whimpering rising in her throat.

"Seras. It's ok. We're going to take it and you'll heal just fine. I promise." Said Arucard, turning her face back to him.

"Master." She said again, the only word she was capable of. Her voice breathy with fear, barely over a whisper as she fought to get air into her lungs.

"You will be all right police girl. I won't let anything happen to you. You are my Child. I am your Master. My word is law to you, and my word is this: you will not die, I will protect you." He whispered to her, hugging her close and rocking her shaking form, eyes closed.

"Master." Said Seras, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding on as tight as she could, as if he were the last solid thing in the world.

Arucard breathed in her scent and silently apologized to her before plunging his hand into her stomach and gripping the hilt of that horrible blade and pulling it out. The blood poured out of her body, cascading to the floor in crimson waterfalls, spilling in a hot rush that left Seras screaming and breathless.

He tossed the blade aside, not willing to take upon himself the curse of its existence and ripped open his own veins to feed his dying child.

"Get more blood!" he roared, sending the others scrambling. Shadow walked through the wall and returned an instant later with the entire kitchen's stock of medical blood; the heavy crate of the stuff perched on her shoulder like it weighed nothing.

Arucard gently laid the limp and bleeding body of his daughter down on the floor, supporting her head with deft and caring hands. He grabbed a handful of the blood packets and ripped them open with his teeth, feeding the blood to her mixed with his own. He poured his strength and his power into his blood and prayed to anyone who would listen that it would be enough.

Malikai glanced at the bleeding girl on the floor and her frantic master and nearly gagged. Vampires were monsters, horrible abominations before God. There was nothing even remotely human about them, and…yet. Yet how could he even think that with this evidence before his eyes? How could he say that all vampires were spawn of hell with no heart at all and yet be moved by the scene of pure emotion he was now witnessing? Perhaps. Perhaps, Father Maxwell was wrong about them.

But no, that would mean everything he'd ever believed in was a lie. All the morals and truths he grown up with were fake. That couldn't be true. It just couldn't, he refused to accept it. Father Maxwell had to have been right, there was no other was it could possibly work.

And yet there was Arucard, hunched over the body of his chosen child practically radiating protectiveness, and pouring his life's blood down her throat, his crimson tears splashing on the ashen skin of her face. And there was Seras, who had walked the park with him and poured her heart out to him, who had picked out paintings with him and held his hand.

Were they really monsters? Were they really that bad? He didn't know.

Shadow stared at the scene before her and was moved to pity, they had to stop the bleeding and quickly or she'd die. Her face hardened and she stepped up to the pair of vampires on the floor. She put her hands over the wound, careful not to touch Arucard and pushed with her magic. She called on the shadows and they answered her, swirling about the three of them in a sweet haven of darkness. The shadows closed over the wound, keeping the blood from seeping out and Seras let out a gagging breath, forcing blood down her throat like it was water.

"What have you done?" asked Arucard softly, the hostility and fear in his voice not yet gone.

"The shadows are gateways Arucard, I've opened one here and inside of her body so that the blood that would be lost goes into her instead of on the floor. It's a loop, see?" she said demonstrating it for him in the air by forming a small shadow gate and sticking her hand through it. Her hand came out of another gate facing the opposite direction and on the other side of him. A light in his eyes showed that he understood what she had done for his child and he felt a wave of gratitude towards the woman.

"Thank you." He whispered, still giving blood to his child. She drank greedily, hands grasping at the sleeves of his coat and trying to pull herself up. He scooped her up into his arms and sat on the floor cross-legged and fed her packet after packet. She rested carefully in his lap, her body turned so that her side was against his chest and her legs dangled over one bent knee, her head in the crook of his neck. She cradled her arms around her breasts and used them to hold up her weak arms to lift the blood to her lips.

The doctor and nurse returned from their mad scramble to get more of the precious liquid and arrived with another cart full of packets. Integra leaned against the far wall and felt the first tinge of jealousy. She knew she shouldn't, she should be worried about Seras, and she was, just not as much as she thought she should. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her usual scowl on her face, the light reflecting off her glasses and masking her eyes from those who would read them.

"Master." Was the first weak word to pass Seras' lips. She struggled to sit up farther and winced in pain. Shadow removed her gates of power and retreated back to the wall. Her face as blank as always but softer somehow.

Arucard stood, taking his child with him and laid her back on the hospital bed. He made sure she was comfortable, and pushed the cart of blood packets to her bedside.

"Two every hour." He said. She nodded and he stroked her hand, his eyes sad but relieved. The wound in her stomach was fully closed, the new skin was pink and thin but it kept the blood inside of her. She touched it gingerly, like you would touch wet paper that was stretched thin, trying not to break it.

"Master. Thank you." She said, trying to smile for him. He smiled back and leaned down to kiss her forehead before pushing his power into her and willing her to sleep.

Shadow sighed and crossed the room to where the demonic blade lay and snatched it up. She nearly dropped it when she felt the evil pulsing from it. She opened another Shadow gate and dropped it in, closing it with a sweeping gesture of her hand.

"Where is it?" Asked Arucard.

"In a shadow with in a shadow. That way it won't contaminate the Deep. When you figure out how to destroy it, let me know and I'll get it out for you. This is the safest way to store it."

"Agreed. Lets let my child rest now." He suddenly seemed tired, as if the weight of the world and the time he'd lived was finally pressing down on him.

He ushered everyone out of the room, some more roughly than others, and closed the door behind him. Integra raked a hand through her hair and muttered about going back to bed. Malikai slunk off into the shadows, casting glances at Arucard. His face was twisted with confusion, and a soft sort of anguish.

Arucard watched them all go and when they were out of sight he grabbed the doctor by the collar of his jacket and pushed his roughly against the wall.

"Watch her at all times, make sure she gets the blood twice every hour. If she dies, I will rip you apart with my bare hands. Understand?" he growled shoving his face into the other man's.

Dr. Cunningham nodded furiously, his fear a tangible thing. Arucard dropped him and stalked into the wall, fully intending to go to his room and brood. He was worried, mostly about his child but also about himself. He was a true nosfaratu, a no-life king. He was one of the oldest and most powerful vampires in existence, he'd spent a thousand years killing, suppressing and barring his emotions until he was hollow and cold inside.

It was the only way to live as long as he had, to live as he had and not go insane. He was very proud of the fact that he was a sociopath, devoid of all human emotions. It was who he was, what he was. He couldn't afford to be soft, not when he killed like he did. If he gained back his emotions he might run screaming into the night and end up killing himself through starvation. He couldn't allow that to happen, he did have a reputation to keep after all.

But it was worrying him; his child could bring out a side of him he never knew was there. She could make him feel. And that, more than anything, scared him.

0o0o0

A figure approached the gates of Hellsing house, a malicious smile on its twisted face. Marcus had come to play with them, and for the deaths of his people, his precious chosen children, he'd have his vengeance. Armed with an army of ghouls and lesser vampires, he'd be sure that there would be hell to pay. He would not back down from any challenge. He would not bow to the whims of any mortal woman. He would not overlook this insult to his name. The Hellsings would die this night, his revenge would be complete.

0o0o0

End part 7


	8. Even More Drama

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 8

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, as always, it really means a lot to me. And to all of you who have been with me faithfully from the beginning, I owe this story to you.

0o0o0

Arucard paced about his room, not really seeing anything and mourning the return of at least some of his emotions. He pulled a packed of blood from the mini-fridge he had in his room just for that purpose and bit into the plastic absently. He sucked on it for a while, not really paying attention to anything when he heard a knock on his door.

"Enter!" he yelled around a mouthful of blood.

Walter came in dressed in his normal clothes with the exception of the black Kevlar vest coating his upper body.

"Arucard, I have the gun you requested and not a moment too soon. The house is under attack. Again." He said as he placed a good sized black box on his 'dining room' table. He popped open the lid and pulled out a Hellsing .454 Jackal, a perfect match to the one in Arucard's pocket.

The vampire picked it up and tested the weight, the feel and the ammo. He gave Walter his psychotic smile before mock throwing the gun over his shoulder and walking towards the door.

"Lets get going then. It's been so long since I went out and killed something."

Walter sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

0o0o0

Seras was drifting, wherever she was it was warm and comfortable and safe. Her master's power danced along her skin, sending thrills down her spine and making the tips of her fingers tingle. She was happy, floating in that place between sleep and wakefulness. All was right with her master's heat pulled around her body like a good fleece blanket that had just been taken out of the dryer.

-Find me. -

-Master? - She called to the voice in her mind, that haunting chill voice that echoed from everywhere.

-Find me. - Commanded the voice again.

She waited, holding her breath, and listened with all her might.

Nothing.

-Master! - She called more franticly, terrified of that voice. She had half a thought of what that voice was and she wanted her master close to her.

-Are you all right police girl? - Came the comforting voice of her master, sending his warmth and power into her, filling her up and chasing the other voice away.

-It's talking to me master. It's calling to me. - She said, letting her fear and unease travel down that long cord that bound the two of them together.

-Don't worry police girl. I'll protect you. - He said, but she could feel his amusement at her fear.

-Where are you master? -

-Outside. The house is under attack. -

-I'm coming. -

-No you're not. You're going to stay right where you are, drink your blood and sleep. I don't want you anywhere near this battle. It's just some two-bit wanna-be out for revenge. It'll be over in a few minutes anyway. You should see Shadow; she's having more fun than I am. - He replied. She found that if she concentrated on it, she could hear the gunshots and the screams.

-But master, I don't want to be alone. - She said softly, fighting the urge to curl up into a little ball. Her stomach still ached, her body was still weary and her mind still reeled at the thought of what she'd almost given birth to.

-I'll come see you when we're done here all right? Now drink your blood like a good little girl. -

-Yes master. - She sighed, moving to lift one of the packets from the diminishing pile. She felt him slip away and rejoin the waking world on the other side of the house. She leaned back into her pillows and strained to hear the comforting sound of her master's maniacal laughter.

0o0o0

Arucard turned his upper body and fired two shot in rapid succession. Magically, six ghouls went down as a result. He finished the clip in his new gun and fished in his coat for another. He put the new clip between his teeth and popped out the empty one.

He spied a lesser vamp shouting orders and took careful aim. He then launched the used clip at the vamp's face and caught him square in the mouth. The vamp's eyes widened comically and he struggled to get the thing out of his teeth. His fangs, however, were too deeply sunk into the metal after his initial reaction of clamping down.

Arucard howled with laughter even as he popped the new clip in and shot the ghouls the poor slob had been commanding. He'd save the lesser vamp for later. Besides, it'd be fun to see how the swine handled walking around the rest of the battle with an empty clip stuck in his mouth. He cackled evilly, this was going to be great.

Integra stood on top of one of the jeeps and kept firing the Beretta in her hand. When the clip ran out she handed the gun to one of her assistants who handed her a loaded one and then reloaded the other for the next round.

Shadow was in her prime, her long shadow blades danced in the darkness slaying anything and everything. She had a second to think: 'I must ask Walter to see if he can have copies of my blades made out of melted down crosses' before she launched herself back into the fray, cutting this way and that at the army of ghouls. Their numbers were dropping fast but the vampire commanding them wouldn't give up. He was around here somewhere and she intended to have his head.

0o0o0

Marcus was not a happy vampire. His army of ghouls had been reduced to scraps in less than ten minutes. The Hellsing Organization was absolutely insane to carry this much firepower. Either that or exceptionally paranoid. He was betting on paranoid. Just the same, he'd find the one who'd killed his men. The one who wielded the blades made of shadows, and when he did, he'd raise hell. Literally.

0o0o0

Shadow decapitated the last of the ghouls in her designated section and moved to join Arucard who was floating in mid air lazily shooting anything that moved. His lanky form was sprawled out in a way that was not humanly possible, or even vampirically possible and looked to be very painful. He was 'hanging' (sort of) upside down his arms extended over his head, a Jackal in each hand and his legs randomly thrown to the wind. His hair was a good three feet long and waving madly about him licking the air like snake tongues. He was cackling like a mad man and muttering something under his breath every time he took out a ghoul.

She leaned in to hear what he was saying and pulled back in surprise. The vampire, still grinning like a hellhound with a steak, was keeping points.

"Two-twenty-five!" He said as he shot another.

"Two-twenty-six!" Another poor zombie turned to dust and added a point to Arucard's Dead Ghoul-a-meter.

Shadow shook her head and sighed. She opened tiny shadow gates underneath the random piles of used Hellsing bullets that lay forgotten around the battle field and pulled them too her. She sat down on an ammunitions box and proceeded to make the used bullets into throwing knives.

0o0o0

-Find me. -

-Go away. -

-Find me. –

-Leave me alone. –

-Mother. –

-Don't you dare call me that! –

0o0o0

Malikai sat in front of his computer and did nothing. He couldn't bring himself to type his report. He suddenly didn't want to spy on the Hellsing organization anymore. He didn't want to do any more damage until he had come to grips with his own moral standing. The vampire was out there, right now, defending those weaker than himself. Was that so wrong?

He knew that Seras was still in the infirmary, knew that Arucard had forbidden her from joining the battle. She would have gone, injury or no if her precious master hadn't told her to stay put. Another example of his humanity. He was protecting her, his child. He cared about her and her safety. Was that the mark of something evil?

Malikai's eyes hardened and he brought up the encoded window to make his report.

'All quiet. Nothing to report.' He wrote. He felt a shiver run down his spine. He was betraying his church. He was traitor to his faith. The thought saddened him, but he just couldn't accept that vampires were mindless monsters that killed because they were pure evil, and somehow, deep inside, he knew he was doing the right thing.

0o0o0

Marcus grinned, flashing fangs. He'd found her at last. He watched a woman all dressed in skintight black with black hair and black eyes as she threw tiny silver knives at what remained of his forces. The ghouls crumbled like cake when she struck.

Next to her, floating in the most ridiculous position he'd ever seen, was a raving lunatic in red. The man was laughing like he were trapped in a comedy show and shooting very large black guns with white scribble on the barrels. What the hell were these people smoking? How could they legally own, let alone buy all these armaments? Paranoid, definitely paranoid.

He pushed those thoughts aside and began to draw his circles and recite his incantations. He only had one shot to do this right or he was dead. He pushed all other distraction away and focused everything he had on summoning the demon he was bound to.

0o0o0

Arucard felt the energy rising in the air and his smile turned psychotic, err, more psychotic than usual. He unfolded his body and floated upright, stretching the muscles in his back. He took very careful aim and shot the vampire who was walking around in a circle and chanting. Or rather, he would have shot him if his bullet hadn't impacted with a shield and been obliterated in the process.

He bared his teeth and stalked off to meet this new foe, mentally checking the number of clips he had left. You'd be surprised how many pockets that nifty coat of his had.

Shadow took out the last of the ghouls and Integra began ordering her men back, leaving the last vamp to her most trusted agent.

"You had better come back to me alive Arucard, or I'll never forgive you." She whispered to the wind before retreating back to the relative safety of the house.

Shadow followed Arucard, her face shutting down into hard angry lines as she recognized the energy that swirled in the air. This same stench of evil had lingered in the Deep for days before it had dissipated.

She caught up to him and matched his stride, both of them closing in on the vampire who was still oblivious to his surroundings. She raised her shadow blades and prepared to strike.

Her blade was on the down ward stroke when a blinding power knocked her off her feet and stole the breath out of her lungs. Arucard was next to her in a similar fashion, although he wasn't gasping for breath.

They looked up and stared into the harsh, evil eyes of a greater demon and Arucard suddenly wished he had more bullets.

0o0o0

End part 8


	9. 20 Questions

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 9To all my reviewers, I love you guys! This fic is for you all!

0o0o0

Marcus came-to and looked up at his master, his slave. He turned to look at the vampire and the woman sprawled on the ground before him and grinned maliciously.

"Kill them." He said to the demon. The beast was all smoke and fire with eyes that glowed with a darkness beyond anything they had seen. The monster turned to growl at its keeper, an angry and indignant sound. The hatred that flowed in the air was a heavy choking thing, drowning them in darkness.

Then it turned to them and opened jaws that were too impossibly wide and took one ground rumbling step towards them.

0o0o0

-Please. Your master will die without me. -

-You lie! -

-No, no never to you mother. Never to you. I will only help you, you are my mother, my maker. I owe you everything. Please, please trust me. –

-No, no I felt what you are. I can't trust you. –

-You can! You can! I love you mother! Please! –

-…..You really mean that don't you? –

-Yes! Yes, mother, I would never hurt you. I love you mother. –

-What are you called? –

-I will have a name if you give me one mother. –

Silence.

-Allen. –

-It's lovely mother. Thank you. –

-How can you help my master Allen? –

-Just say the words I give you and I will be free of this shadow prison. I will come to your hand. Just say the words I give you mother. –

-All right. I'll do it, but only if it will help my master. Do you understand me Allen? I want to help my master. –

-Yes mother. Your will is my will. Now say this: _Est nuvari kulonralk en venitora naliks._ –

"Est. Can you say it again?"

-_ Est nuvari kulonralk en venitora naliks. -_

"Est nuvari kulonralk en venitora naliks." Said Seras clumsily.

Dark energy pulsed around her and the blade dropped out of shadows and into her hands. She stared at it dumbly for a moment before the voice of her child was once again in her mind.

-Come mother, let's slay the demon who dares to threaten your master. –

"He's your master too, through me." Said Seras, glaring at the shimmering blade.

-As you wish mother. –

Seras climbed out of the hospital bed and headed for the door, the blade naked in her hands and glowing with black power.

0o0o0

Arucard was a happy vampire. After months of sitting around the house and taking out a few weaklings here and there, this had him positively perky. Yes, things were defiantly looking up, way up, the demon made Michael Jordan look like dwarf.

He pulled himself to his feet and aimed both Jackals at the things face.

"You ok Shadow?" he asked, never taking his eyes off the monster before him.

"That's a rather stupid question." Said the Shadow Walker dryly as she too climbed to her feet.

"Great. Let's see if this thing bleeds." With that, he fired both guns simultaneously. The shots hit the beast in the face but really didn't seem to do any damage. Its giant head just absorbed the bullets and spit them out the other side.

"Joy. Looks like its up to you fair maiden. Go and slay the dragon to rescue your knight." Said Arucard with his usual maniac grin.

Shadow rolled her eyes and her blades emerged from the Deep, fitting into her hands like old friends. She took a stance for all of half a second before launching her attack. She danced and struck and sliced and hacked but the monster did not react at all. It just stood there and let the blades pass through it.

She retreated to her former position and scowled. The demon just looked at them as if to say: 'Are you done yet?' before throwing back what passed for it's head and roaring. The sound shook the ground and made the trees bend and whine.

Arucard looked at the woman beside him and tossed his head casually in the direction of the demon.

She nodded and they attacked at once, Arucard shooting his guns and calling on the hellhound familiars in his body to life. They erupted from his shoulder and side, slammed into the demon and began to worry at its mass, throwing their heads back and fourth ripping and tearing with their terrible teeth. (And rolling their terrible eyes.)

Her blades sunk home again and again and drew something thick and black if only for a moment. She thought perhaps it was that the beast's attentions were divided. She didn't care much for the reason however. Their ministrations were gaining them a reaction. The monster now howled and shook, clawed at the hounds and at the bullets stuck in its withering flesh.

The front door of the Hellsing mansion opened and Integra followed a figure out.

"Arucard!" she yelled before glaring pointedly at Seras as the girl crossed the blood and ash soaked lawn to meet her master. He eyes were blanked and The Blade to Call All Darkness hung in her grasp.

Arucard spared only a quick glance at his child before concentrating on the battle at hand. Integra growled and retreated back to the castle to brood. Arucard felt her anger and it fueled his own, sending more power into his hounds. Shadow must have felt his growing aggravation at their lack of progress because she too doubled her efforts.

Seras came to stand at her master's side. She stopped, her eyes never leaving the monster. She drew back her arm and threw the blade with all her might straight at the demons heart.

The hell spawn howled with agony, its tar black blood leaking slowly from the wound. Seras came back to herself and collapsed, shivering and shocky. She curled up in a tiny ball and wept.

The sword grew darker and darker at it drank down the essence of the demon, stealing away its life, its energy. The blade grew stronger, more aware as its victim grew weaker. Finally the creature died, bursting into pure white flames, as if the heavens were purifying the earth of its foul presence, and collapsed into ash.

The sword fell from the air and landed in the earth gleaming with power and a quiet hunger that consumed all. Arucard retracted his hounds and knelt by his child, lifting her up into his arms and cradling her gently to his chest. He sighed down at her but kissed her forehead and walked back to the Hellsing house.

Shadow remained behind, looking at the dark blade. She scowled at it and then opened a triply thick shadow pocket and sucked the cursed weapon inside. She placed her seals around it and prayed to her own silent gods that it would be enough.

She then turned to the shell-shocked vampire standing at the edge of the circle and walked to him. She looked at his face for a moment before splitting him in half with one graceful strike. The Vampire Marcus crumbled and died.

0o0o0

Arucard pushed his way through the foggy barriers that seemed to envelope his child's mind. They shouldn't have been there, least of all to him. He was her master; her maker and he should not have been barred from her mind.

Still, he walked on and sorted through them, seeking his daughter's comforting presence. He finally found her, huddled in a corner of her thought-scape and weeping.

-Seras? – He called. She didn't respond.

-Police girl. – He said, more firmly.

-Master? –

-Yes police girl, it's me. –

-Master! - She called, giving him the equivalent of a mental hug. She leapt into the arms of his metaphysical self and he held her much the same as he held her physical body. She woke then and blinked ruby eyes at him, a soft smile on her face.

"Master." She sighed, happy and safe.

0o0o0

Shadow retreated to her shadows, leaving the mortal realm behind and drifting in the darkness around the small floating island of her room. Her feet found the familiar paths that she had walked for centuries, her eyes looked unconsciously for the homes of friends that were no longer there.

She looked out at the vast emptiness and her heart ached. The loneliness threatened to consume her and she willed herself back to her room, her safe place. She sat down on her floor, the place she was most comfortable and just stared at it for the longest time.

The minutes seemed to drag on and on and silence was deafening, it was then that she realized how utterly lost and alone she was, only then she let the tears fall from her eyes. She just sat on her floor and let herself cry, knowing that in the echoing darkness, there would be no one to hear her.

0o0o0

-We did well mother. You were wonderful today. – Whispered Allen to his mother's ear.

-Leave me alone Allen, I'm so tired. I just want to sleep, here, in my master's arms. Can't I do that Allen? – Replied Seras sleepily.

-Of course mother. But you have the words now mother, won't you let me out? I'd like to explore a bit. –

-No, no, I can't remember them right now. Good night Allen. –

Seras yawned and fell asleep, safe and happy in her master's arms just as she'd wanted to.

0o0o0

Allen brooded, he'd have to get that fool of a woman to let him out soon, the shadows he was trapped in were absorbing the power he'd stolen today and he couldn't understand why. The Deep was not supposed to do this. Demons had crossed the shadows into other worlds before and had never complained that it was a draining experience. Something was wrong with it, and he didn't like it one bit. All that power had to be going somewhere.

0o0o0

End part 9

Everyone who thinks they know what's going on, raise your hand, then clue me in because my muse is telling me zilch.


	10. Bleeding Shadows

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 10

To all my reviewers, thanks for your support and comments. Now on with the fic.

0o0o0

Arucard placed his child on her bed and tucked her in, his slender fingers gentle and loving. He gazed at her peaceful face and wasn't quite sure what it was she made him feel. He'd been dead inside for so long that he hardly recognized his emotions anymore.

He tried to look at her as his child, as someone to be protected and taught. He tried to see himself as her father. He frowned when it didn't quite work. He did see her as his child, that's exactly what she was, and he did feel the overwhelming need to protect her but there was something missing.

He tried to look at her romantically. God it'd been so long since he'd been with a woman. (Or a man for that matter, because let's face it, after a few hundred years you either swing both ways or you go insane. Not that it made much difference in his case.) Nearly thirty years of celibacy. Ick. He looked at her again with new eyes and saw that she was indeed lovely, she had a woman's figure and she'd been of age, ah what was the human term? Legal, yes, she'd been 'legal' when he'd made her, so that was no problem.

He could feel lust for her, if he had to, but he didn't. It was something that just didn't come. Something was off about it, as if his heart and his head were both clueless on what to think about her. She was his child, his servant, and yet she was more. How much more though, he had no idea.

He had a sudden memory of her in Malikai's arms and it stirred something in him. Something that wasn't protectiveness or jealously but a combination of both and something else. Something he couldn't quite grasp. It was there and it rushed through his veins like fire and ice, but for the (life) of him he couldn't figure out what it was.

He scowled, even if he didn't know what it was he was pretty sure it was Malikai's fault. Why? Because he was Arucard and he could blame the stupid human for the end of the world if he wanted to.

Psychotic smile in place he went to find the good professor and have a word with him.

0o0o0

Integra was not at all pleased. Well she was happy that Arucard was alive and well (or rather dead and well) but he was spending entirely too much time with Seras. Now she admitted that the girl was ill or something and that she had just undergone a rather traumatic experience, not to mention defying a direct order from her, but that didn't stop her from being jealous.

She was a woman too damnit, and she had the needs of a woman. She looked around her office and told herself that she wasn't allowed to cry. The office was her father's, a beautiful room full of her father's books, her father's favorite cigars, and her father's pens with his name engraved in them. It was her father's room, and just the thought of that made her chest tight with pain. She saw Seras in Arucard's arms and that pain intensified. It was a growing, throbbing ache of loneliness and despair.

Look at the life I lead, she thought; will I never have a family of my own? Will I ever find love in a place like this? But she'd already answered her own questions. She'd keep those answers to herself though, because as brave as she was on the battlefield, she was a coward when it came to emotions. She'd worked so hard to lock them away, to just not deal with them anymore because she was absolutely terrified of them.

She'd spent years honing her mask of blank indifference, shutting away the screaming voice of her conscience, so that she could pull the trigger again and again without flinching. She had to; she couldn't afford to bring shame on her house. She could not let her father down. She'd made a promise to him; she swore she'd bring honor to the Hellsing name. She swore she'd always put her family's name before herself.

Even if that meant denying her only chance at love.

*

Malikai was brooding, he'd sent his now customary 'all quiet' report to the Iscariot and felt that gnawing guilt fill him up. He stood by his conviction though; he'd give the vampires a chance to prove themselves before he indiscriminately condemned them. 'Judge not lest ye be judged yourself.'

Arucard walked through the wall, or rather floated through, his booted feet never touching the ground.

"You, human." He said.

Malikai scowled at him and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You, vampire." He returned, not liking the sense of hostility the vamp was giving him.

Arucard laughed, that hair raising, heinous laugh that made fear chase through his blood like quicksilver. He'd seen Arucard kill when he laughed like that.

"Look mortal, I'm only here to tell you to keep your grubby little hands off my child. She's mine, got it?"

"Seras is a big girl. She can make her own decisions." Replied the blond hotly. After he'd realized that he was going to be betraying his church on a rather permanent basis he'd decided to pursue Seras seriously.

"No you fool, you're not understanding me. Maybe I should use smaller words no? Seras is mine. I made her. I own her. Hands off. There, is that better?"

"You can't demand that she live her life the way you want her to Arucard. She is her own person."

"Again you misunderstand me, swine. Relationships like this don't work the same way for vampires as they do for humans. I am her master, her maker, I make her heart beat, her blood flow. I make her eyes see and her body move. My power, my will, nothing else. Now do you understand?" asked Arucard, his voice condescending. He'd spoken to the other man the way you'd speak to a very small child.

Malikai continued to scowl.

"Even so, you can't force her to feel anything. If she wants to be with you, fine. If she wants to be with me, then you'll have to back off. It will be her decision."

Arucard gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Then lets just put it this way whelp, think of me as both her overprotective father and her jealous boyfriend. If you touch her again, I will nail you inside a coffin, drill a hole in the lid and then submerge the coffin in a tank of formaldehyde and watch as you drown, suffocate and are poisoned to death all at the same time. Do I make myself clear?"

Arucard had been enjoying himself immensely watching the color drain from the human's face. He wasn't so happy when Malikai laughed at him.

"Arucard, I love Seras and I'll do what ever it takes to make her see that."

"Then you're dead, mortal." Growled the vampire as he sunk through the floor.

When he was gone, Malikai sat heavily in his chair. He had no doubt in his mind that Arucard would do just what he said he'd do, the vampire was crazy enough to pull it off without getting squeamish. He knew that Arucard would enjoy killing him, he'd seen that in his eyes, in the way his smile grew more intense.

He thought back to the vampire's parting words and his position with the Iscariot, and had to smile.

"That's more true than you know mien nosfaratu." He said to the empty room. He turned back to his computer and deleted the reply he'd gotten from his church. They were sending Father Anderson to execute him as a traitor.

0o0o0

Shadow drew in a breath and let it out slowly, claming her self and letting the tears on her face dry before willing them to disappear. She stood up and focused her will on building the rest of her house. Shadows are willed into existence by other Shadows, but she was one of the originals, one of the deep shadows that had taken form by watching the other worlds and copying them.

She needed no will but her own to support her. She watched as the house materialized around her and felt instantly better. There were walls now to separate her from the cold, echoing darkness. The Deep had never felt more empty than right now.

She sat down at her table and willed a steaming cup of spiced apple cider into her hands and sipped at it while she remembered throwing parties in this very room. Remembered watching her friends, a man with long red hair and playboy personality, always touching the girls, a white blonde man with a cool disposition and a teasing sultry smile, her lover. She saw a girl with long blue hair and a solemn face, the Thinker they called her, for she sat in her floating garden, on a stone in the center of a river and meditated most of the time. A man with long limbs and wild burgundy eyes came next, the daring crazy one. He'd always complain about her looks by sending her pictures of herself dressed and changed to the extreme.

She remembered his face as he willed his hair into six different colors and styles in a matter of minutes just to try and 'teach' her how it was done. She'd laughed at him and turned her hair blonde just to spite him and then turned it right back to black. He always complained about her black on black color scheme.

And her lover, she remembered running her fingers through his so fine hair and smelling his skin and tasting his lips and she ached to have him again. She could see his own black eyes and that smile he gave her when he was doing something mischievous.

She sighed and pushed the memories away and found that through her reminiscing she'd drank all her cider. She waved the cup away and stood, willing herself outside the house. She pushed with her power and let it reach out and out into the shadows as if she'd melt right back into them. She had the sudden urge to look again as she had the first time she returned to this empty place. She stretched herself as far and deep as she would go and she felt it.

The energy was tainted, full of evil and hate, and below it were the screams, the pleas for mercy. She listened to them and only after she'd picked out a few choice voices did she realize she was hearing the cries of her trapped people.

They were there, in the Deep, caught in some horrible demonic magic. She pulled on it, with all her will and felt it move ever so slightly, then it seemed to grow stronger and it resisted her.

"No!" she screamed at it. She tried again and this time it didn't even budge. She sighed in frustration and whirled to find the gate to another world open behind her. She marched through it and came out in the Shallows of Arucard's room.

0o0o0

Arucard was brooding, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately and sipping his blood when Shadow stormed out of the wall and grabbed his arm. She pulled him up out of the chair and right back in to the wall without a word.

He stumbled after her but kept his mouth shut, something on her face stopped his words. They emerged on the other side in darkness. A house was the only thing in the inky blackness that stretched on forever. She stopped in front of it and he looked at the odd design of it. It looked like pieces of architecture from all over the world were thrown haphazardly together and expected to hold. He spotted an Arabic round tower, a roman style dome, and Greek pillars. He saw Egyptian reed rugs and straw mat floors, mixed with hardwood and tile. One of the doors was a Japanese style shoji, another a heavy metal door that looked like it belonged on a high tech vault.

"Look, feel, hear, know." She said and he looked at her and was suddenly falling. The darkness swallowed him up and he felt the shadows embrace him like a rock in a stream, all around and through him, everywhere and nowhere all at once. He couldn't feel himself moving and yet what felt like wind rushed around his body, filling him with sounds and sights and tastes and feelings, all foreign, all so intense they rubbed his senses raw.

Then he heard it, first a single wail, then the screaming began, and continued until it echoed inside of him like the sound of a giant bell. He felt hands grasping at the legs of his pants like prisoners below him, begging for release. He felt their pain and their fear and their confusion as they all sent it too him and his brain just couldn't take it. He couldn't stand all the things these people, for he knew that's what they were, kept sending him.

His senses overloaded and his body shut down, he stared into darkness and felt the press of a thousand thousand minds all around him screaming, crying, begging, beseeching, and then he knew nothing.

0o0o0

End pat 10


	11. Sorry!

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 11

To my reviewers, my muse came out of her closet and told me to tell you that she's supposed to be getting the credit for this story and to please direct all comments to her and not her puppet. I locked her back in the closet. Anyone want to leave a message?

0o0o0

There was something moving, oh so slowly, like a slug crawling painfully across a pane of glass, leaving a trail of slime behind it. There was no color, only gray and black and white and a fuzzy splotch of something else he couldn't quite name.

"Oh, wake up Arucard." Came a voice to his ears, agitated.

He opened his eyes and stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling, made of beautiful oriental tiles.

"What happened?' he asked groggily. Shadow sat beside him, her arms crossed and giving him a blank stare.

"You tried to read the minds of about six-thousand highly psychic people all at once. Your brain overloaded and you blacked out."

"Who were all those people and where are they?"

"Those were my people, and they're here, in the Deep, trapped and half formed." Said Shadow, crossing her long legs.

"Oh. The energy of this place…..."

"You felt it too did you? I've been thinking, and I came up with a few ways this could have happened. The first thing I thought of was that someone brought a demon here and killed it and the energy the death released sort of trampled my people. The other is that a demon came here on it's own and my people killed it not knowing what the result would be. Either way, a demon died here and for some reason any demon energy that comes in contact with the Deep gets absorbed into the thing that keeps my people hostage."

"I don't think it was unintentional. I have a few hundred years experience with ritual magic like this and it's more likely that someone cast a spell on a demon and had it come here to die. Some one who wanted the Shadow Walkers out of the way." Arucard said as he sat up, grabbing his hat and glasses off a nearby table.

"Why? Walking worlds is no easy task, massive amounts of energy are needed to even pierce the barriers, let alone walk through them. When a Shadow Walker goes Beyond, it costs almost nothing, but we are meant to walk between world, it is our purpose. A demon could do it, but it must limit how pierces the veils or it will be drained." Answered Shadow, waving her hand in the air and scowling at the idea.

"I don't know, I'm just guessing. This whole shadow world-walking thing is all new to me. I don't know how you would incorporate it with ritual magic."

"Is it possible that information about Shadow Walkers became available to your people?"

"Don't know, get us back to the house and we'll check the Internet." Arucard said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching his arms over his head.

"The what?" asked Shadow as she too moved to stand.

"Never mind, let's just go." Said Arucard.

Shadow stilled herself and made a small gate that grew to accommodate Arucard's height. She walked through and the vampire followed her. They came out of the gate in the Shallows of his room and he phased out of them, waiting for Shadow to do the same.

He turned to her and gave her a cursory look, remembering his master's orders about seducing her. He didn't think it would work though; he took her to be the kind of girl who would value friendship over lust.

"Lead on nosfaratu." She directed with a smirk.

"As my Lady wishes." Returned Arucard, happy that someone would play court games with him. He offered his arm which she laughingly took before her smile grew more subdued and then turned to a frown.

He said nothing; just led her along the halls to Walter's room, the Hellsing retainer had the best computer equipment in the house. He knew what she was thinking about anyway, how could he not after the episode in the Deep?

0o0o0

Seras awoke extremely hungry, and not in the normal sense of the word either. Well not normal for a vampire anyway. She reached for a packet of blood, so kindly left out for her by Walter, and stared at the dark red liquid for a moment. She didn't want to drink it and it wasn't her normal moral hesitation either. Having to drink the stuff almost non-stop for a few days had cured her of that.

'You're on your own in this police girl, we've thrown you in and it's up to you to sink or swim.' Her master had told her, right before bursting into his malicious laughter and babbling about making a rhyme. She hadn't paid much attention to the comment then but it was beginning to make sense. He'd thrown her to the sharks with her blood morals and she'd learned to adapt and even like the stuff a little.

Now, however, she just stared at the blood pouch and couldn't bring it to her lips. She just couldn't.

She wanted something else, something much more potent. She needed something that slid down the throat like mulled wine and settled in the pallet like a good cour don bleu.

Seras jolted back to reality, those weren't her thoughts! She'd never had a drop of wine in her life and she's never liked French food. She was self-respecting Englishwoman thank you very much.

-Allen! –

-You called mother dear? –

-You keep out of my head Allen, you keep your own impulses to yourself! – She demanded.

-Mother, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. – The blade replied.

-Have you ever had wine before? –

-Of course not mother, I don't have a mouth. –

-Oh. What about cour don bleu? –

-Cour don bleu? –

-Yes! That!–

-Of course not Mother, again, I don't have a mouth. Will you please let me out of here mother? –

-I have to go now Allen. –

Seras pushed her thoughts, and Allen's voice with them, to the back of her mind and dressed her self. She looked down at the packet and forced herself to drink the entire thing even though it tasted sour and thick.

She tried to feel satisfied with it but she couldn't, she hungered. She was filled with such a hunger that it became a physical pain, twisting inside of her.

-Master! –

-Police girl? – Came the lazy reply.

-Something. Eating. Me. Master! – She grit out in her mind, fighting her hunger.

-Police girl? – Arucard's voice was much more worried now, he phased through the wall and ran the rest of the way to his child's room, throwing the door open to find her crumpled on the floor, her knees pulled to her chest and shaking violently.

He reached out to her and turned her in his arms.

"Police-"

Seras was on him, digging her nails into his chest, hissing and flashing her fangs. Her eyes burned like black coals, glowing with a darkness that consumed all. She drew her hands back and pulled with them his power, his energy, sucking it into herself. She fed on his power, drinking down his essence like wine, like blood, spilling it into herself and drowning in it.

She collapsed forward, breathing hard, but her eyes were normal. She looked down at both her position straddling her master's hips and the wounds she'd given him and her eyes filled with horror.

"Master….."

"What the hell was that?" asked Arucard slowly, the claw marks on his chest closing almost instantaneously. He sat up, his child still looking at him like she was afraid he'd hurt her and sitting on his lap.

"Seras?"

"Allen. He's feeding through me." She whispered, having felt her child grow full and sated on her master's power.

Arucard scowled, he picked her up and put her on her bed. He stared down at her and crossed his arms over his chest, debating what to do about it.

"Stay here, I'll be right back."

"Yes master." She whispered.

Arucard gave her one more hard look before walking out the door and up the stairs to the library. It wasn't until he closed the door behind him that he collapsed to the floor, drained and angry. His pride wouldn't allow him to show his weakness but he felt like he'd been turned back to human and had all his long years catch up to him. It was hard to move, to see and hear. His limbs were numb and he knew he was going into shock. His vampiric body couldn't keep going with out the otherworldly energy to support it.

0o0o0

Allen was quite happy, he was full of power, filled to the brim and this energy wouldn't leak out and be sucked away like that demon energy had, he could do what ever he liked now, if he could only get that stupid woman to let him out of this god forsaken pit! He'd been very angry with her when she refused him and had forced his hunger on her savagely. He'd meant for it to hurt her and he'd succeeded, pitiful vampire wench. If this were normal for her, she'd spend the rest of her death cowering in her room in a little ball, shaking. Weak. How could the Fates make this utter disgrace his mother? How could they bind him to someone so pathetic? It was sick.

His existence was some sort of cruel cosmic joke, it just had to be.

0o0o0

"Sir Integra, we have the information you requested on that demon summoning vampire we fought yesterday." Said Walter as he handed her several thick files.

"His name was Marcus and he was a member of some sort of cult. All the members are vampires and practice demonics. Apparently, they all can summon demons. It's called the Dark Inferno and lead by a vampire called Mauve."

"Mauve the Tormentor?" asked Integra as she studied the files.

"Apparently, she went on a killing spree a few hundred years ago and tortured sixty-nine people to death. Each victim had died differently, no one knows why she did it, but her victims were all very carefully chosen and had a history of mental illness."

"She tortured crazy people?"

"That's the gist of it, yes." He replied, frowning.

Integra said nothing more, simply looked at the files and tried to make the new information fit with what was going on. She finally threw them down on her desk and rubbed her temples.

"Shadow!" she called, hoping the other woman would be able to make sense of it all somehow. She'd proven herself to be nothing short of miraculous so far.

Shadow stepped in through the door, not bothering to open it and came to stand before her desk.

"Take a look at these." She said waving her hand over the files. Shadow took them and sat down in one of the plump chairs and began to read. When she was finished she placed them back on the desk and pulled a piece of paper out of thin air.

She handed the paper to Walter, who took it and studied it a moment before smiling and wandering off.

"What was that?" demanded Integra.

"Design specifications for my blades. I want them made out of melted down crosses so I won't be leaving a pile of bodies behind me. You want me to take this cult?"

"Do you think it's a lead to your culprit?"

"Yes. There is demonic energy in the Deep. And no demon would do this on it's own."

"Why not?" asked the leader of Hellsing, lacing her fingers in front of her face.

"Nothing in it for him." Explained the Shadow Walker.

"Take Arucard and Seras and destroy it, do whatever it takes." Commanded the blonde.

"With pleasure." Returned Shadow, a slow smile curving her lips.

"Dismissed."

0o0o0

Arucard had recovered maybe half of his energy when Shadow walked in with Seras in tow. The blonde looked highly uncomfortable, but Arucard had managed to pull himself off the floor and was actually seated in a chair when they came in. He was very proud of himself.

He smiled, his normal, I'm-going-to-rip-your-heart-out-and-eat-it smile. See? Nothing wrong with your master girl. Nothing at all. They bought it, thank the stars.

"What's up?" he asked, frantically thinking of ways this could go wrong. He refused to be humiliated before his child, and his rival.

"Mission." Said Shadow.

God damnit.

0o0o0

Malikai backed up against the wall, the insanely tall figure of Father Anderson looming over him, blades gleaming wickedly in the light of the computer screen.

"Confess, Olsen, and let the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit cleanse your soul of the sins you have committed." Hissed the priest.

"I have committed no sin but that of letting myself be lead along." Declared Malikai hotly, striving to buy time.

"I've let myself be blinded to the truth by seeing only what I wish to see. I've let people like you show me lies and turn me to hate and for that I will not be absolved. You're a dog Anderson; you have no mind of your own. You do what you're told, think what you're told, believe what you're told, and know only what you're told. You're just a dog that can't think for itself."

"Oh? Is that so? And what, pray tell, brought on this astounding revelation?" sneered the regenerator.

"I opened my eyes, I saw what God showed me and I made my own decision about what I believe in. I saw a father risk his life for his child's with out hesitation; I saw a monster fall in love. I saw the truth. There is no black and white Anderson; there is no right and wrong, no good and evil, the world is shades of gray. Some are light and some are dark, and all are ever changing. The dark becomes light, the light becomes dark and then they go back again only to shift once more. Don't you understand me?" Asked Malikai trying desperately to covey his new understanding to the priest.

"I don't Malikai. I don't understand. But you were my friend once, and for that I will try." Anderson put away his blades, pulled up a chair and gazed expectantly at his target.

0o0o0

End part 11. I know, I'm evil; I just left you with more questions. My muse has let me in on the plot and I can safely say that all of this does have a point and that it will all make sense in the end. I promise. Really. Don't look at me like that.


	12. Drunk Inanimate Objects

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 12

0o0o0

To my reviewers, my eternal gratitude, I have taken all of your suggestion and comments to heart.

Sera Luanma – You're suggestion is rather interesting, and I have consulted my muse on it. She said that she considered putting another blade in to balance Allen, but she won't because it would leave a lose end. That's all I'm allowed to tell you. Sorry!

Plaid cat – Please don't feed the muse, she has enough of an ego already. Thanks for your support, I know you've been with me since the beginning.

0o0o0

Arucard let Shadow and himself into Walter's room, gracefully setting himself in the overstuffed chair in front of the computer and booted it up. Seras slid in behind them and confined herself to a corner, looking miserable. Shadow moved to stand behind him, watching the screen with mild fascination. He signed in as himself and pulled up a browser.

"Shadow Walkers huh? Let's see what we got." He mumbled to himself as he typed the words in.

They waited for a few moments before pulling up several pages of information.

"RPG Character guides? No, a witch's book of Shadows? What the hell?"

"There." Said Shadow, pointing to a link in some other language. He glanced back at her but clicked on it anyway. The page opened to display a simple list of blue links all in that strange language.

"First one." Commanded Shadow her voice hardening.

He did as he was asked, scowling and mocking her in his head. He had a sudden image of her and Integra switching places. They had similar enough attitudes to pass.

A page that looked scanned in scrolled down the screen, written in something vaguely resembling a combination of hieroglyphics and kanji.

"Bastard." Shadow whispered.

"What is it?"

"These are files from our archives, the Library that I work for. These are written in my language, or rather the language we adopted to write in. We usually store information in Access Balls, there're little bubbles that contain psychic impressions. Someone gave these records away."

"You had a traitor."

"Yes. Get the last link, these are in order I bet." She said, leaning over his shoulder.

He clicked and Shadow glanced over it quickly, and then did something of a double take. She raised her hand to her mouth and her face twisted with rage.

"I get it now." She hissed, throwing the files that Sir Integra had given her on the desk beside them.

"Mauve the Tormentor is looking for god-hood."

"Explain."

"These documents are really maps. They're codes for different worlds that the Shadow Walkers have catalogued. One of them, this one here," she pointed to a piece of the text.

"This one has a fountain that is supposed to grant the power to rule a universe. In all truth however, the fountain just kills you. The people of this particular world believe that when you are living you create your own afterlife. That the experiences you gain build a new universe for you to inhabit and control after you are dead. The fountain is means to reach that universe."

"So Mauve got it wrong and thinks the fountain will grant her the power of a god?"

"Yes, and in order to reach it, she must pass through the Deep, which explains why she started a demon worshiping cult. Other than Shadow Walkers, demons are the only things that can pass through on their own. It also explains her little killing spree. Demons that possess people will often hide themselves by making the person appear to be crazy. She was searching for a demon."

"She obviously got what she was looking for then no? I know Mauve, and she's crazy, even crazier than I am. This whole demon thing is right up her ally too, she was made about the same time I was and even before she died she was into this kind of shit. She hates the church; she blames it and God for the death of her family and her husband. She's been doing everything opposite Christianity ever since."

"Beautiful. Just what we need, more psycho paths." Drawled Shadow sarcastically.

Seras was absolutely mortified by what she'd done to her master. Her master! How could she?

'God, look at me! I'm such an animal! Why didn't he hit me? I'd hit me!' she though dejectedly.

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms trying to warm her pale flesh. She hated herself, hated her child. The feeding had been both painful and wondrous, and still she craved. Her master didn't look too drained, a testament to his great power.

'Seras you monster, after all that, how could I still want to do it again? How could I want to hurt my master like that again? What have I become?'

0o0o0

"They aren't monsters Anderson, they're people. Not all of them are pure evil."

"So what, you're saying that vampires are poor misunderstood people? That they can go on killing sprees and we should just turn the other cheek because they're people too?"

"No! Alex, why are you so against the idea that maybe, just maybe, Arucard could have a heart?"

"That man is a freak Kai, I chop him to bits and he comes right back-"

"Now isn't that the pot calling the kettle black regenerator?" quipped Malikai with a frown. Alex knew better than that.

"And the hellhounds? How do you explain that one Kai?"

"I said he had a heart, that he had feelings and emotions, not that he was human. Okay, lets try this Alex. You are a regenerator yes?"

"I thought we were past that. Yes Kai, I'm a regenerator." Sneered the priest, not really seeing where this conversation was going.

"You use that power to protect those weaker than yourself right? You can take hits that other people can't so you do, not because the church orders you too but because you know it's the right thing to do."

"Of course. Protecting those weaker than you is a very honorable thing to do. It's only right."

"Arucard uses his vampirism to protect the troops of Hellsing, to protect Sir Integra, to protect his child. I've watched him go out of his way to take bullets for the men; I've seen him go berserk to save his master. I watched him nearly die to rescue Seras."

"You really believe he's a good man don't you?" asked Alex, and there was something in his voice, something not so much curious and scornful, but almost accepting. The sheer power of Malikai's belief in his words made the paladin hesitate, made him reconsider, and it gave him hope.

"He's not evil Alex. He is a good man, at least where it counts. He's no saint, he's not even sane half the time and he hates my guts, but he's a good man." Said Malikai with conviction. He really believed.

"You know what this means don't you? You've betrayed the ideals of the church." Alex's voice was soft, uncertain. He genuinely liked Kai, they were good friends. It would kill something in him to take this man's life.

"No, Alex, it's you that doesn't know what this means. What if the church has been preaching wrong all this time? I mean, not everything, they got a lot of things right, but not everything. They teach temperance, acceptance, good will, and fairness. They praise love and peace to all of God's creatures."

"Vampire's are not God's creatures." Challenged Alex.

"God made the earth and placed upon it all life. He dictated the cycles of life and death, for all things that are and will be. How do you suppose vampire's came to be at all Brother? How are they even here if not by God's gracious hand?"

"The devil-"

"Was once an angel."

To that, Alexander had nothing to say. He knew there was a reason Kai taught English. He looked into himself and saw his friend's words ring true. How could his faith teach such wonderful things and yet condone absolute hate? How could his order encourage people to be such hypocrites?

0o0o0

"Sir Integra?"

"Come in Walter."

The aging retainer of the Hellsing house strode in carrying a large black box. He placed in on the floor next to his feet and put a videotape in front of his employer.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Did you know that Father Anderson is here, sitting down with Professor Olsen and discussing vampire ethics? Our man is trying to convert him I think." Said Walter.

"He's doing what?" asked Integra incredulously.

"I know, it's quite disturbing."

0o0o0

"Run that by me again. Slowly." Said Arucard.

"Mauve goes on a killing spree, searching for a demon. She finds one, starts a cult to worship it and convinces it to help her cross the worlds. The demon wants the Shadow Walkers out of the way to do this, so he sends one of his lessers with a spell attached to it into the deep. He kills the demon and the spell is activated, using the demon energy to create a sort of prison."

"But he missed you."

"Yes he missed me, and that mistake is going to come back and bite him on the ass. The only thing that's got me confused is why she and her little demon buddy haven't tried to Shadow Walk yet. What's holding her back?"

"You said Walking Worlds took a lot of power, maybe she doesn't have it yet."

"No, the demon would have enough power to Walk on it's own."

"So then what's blocking them?"

"I have no idea."

0o0o0

Allen was what you'd call a little tipsy. He'd just recently discovered that he could drink the power in the Deep even though he couldn't retain it. As soon as he got it, it slipped away again, but the rush was worth it. Combined with Arucard's power, the demon energy made quite a cocktail and he was rather drunk.

-Mother! – He called, feeling her presence and calling out to her happily.

-Yes Allen? What do you want? – She asked grumpily.

-Did you know that it's impossum. Bull. Em….. –

-What's wrong with you? – Asked Seras even though she didn't really want the answer.

-Impossible for me to lie to you? To you, and to you and just one other person, I must be truthful. And that's you. Wait. –

-Allen, are you drunk? –

-No of course not. What kind of silly animal is that? –

-Allen, it's not an animal. –

-Well of course it is! What else do you call it? Wait, what were talking about again? –

-You're drunk Allen. –

-Drunk? Now don't be absurd Father. –

-I'm your mother. –

-Shut up woman, that's what I said! –

Seras sighed.

0o0o0

Walter knocked on the door and let himself in when a voice beckoned him fourth. He walked inside, shutting the door to his own room. He placed the black box on the table where he kept his private stock of brandy and popped open the lid.

"Miss Shadow, the blades you ordered just came it. The Smithy said they were the strangest things he'd ever forged." Said Walter, lifting the five-foot plus blades up.

"They're ultra light, due to the metal, but the edges are razor sharp. The balance is perfect, and all of your specifications match perfectly." He said, handing them over.

Shadow held them by the police baton hilts and swung them around a few times testing them.

"They are light, and I certainly hope the metal holds. I don't have much faith in human weapons."

"Aww, why not? Human weapons are just so much fun." Said Arucard, grinning like a mad man.

Shadow gave him a disgusted look before twisting her wrists and holding out her now empty hand to Walter to shake.

"Thank you for getting them on such short notice Walter. I truly appreciate it."

"Not at all Miss Shadow." He replied, he shook her hand and smiled for her, ever polite.

"Hey Arucard?" she said as she turned to look at him.

"What?"

"Feel like killing something?"

"Oh, always."

The smile that curved his lips then was nothing short of bloodthirsty.

0o0o0

-Allen, why were you born? –

-Well that's a stupid question mother. What am I? – Said Allen, his tone quite bubbly.

-You're a weapon. –

-Oh good girl! Smart girl! Have a cookie! –

-Allen, you're starting to irritate me. –

-So sorry mummy! Mummy! Ha! Blah! I vant to suck your blood! –

-That's Count Dracula, not a mummy. –

-I know that! Anyway, what were talking about? –

-Why you were born. –

-To kill something duh! I'm a blade. Isn't it obvious? I mean, what were you expecting? Plant the Blade to Call All Darkness and grow a tree. Save the Rainforest! – The most powerful dark weapon to ever grace the hands of a vampire began to giggle, and couldn't seem to stop.

-Allen, you are really creeping me out right now….. –

0o0o0

End part 12. Wow, this story just keeps coming. I don't know what's gotten into her. It must be the reviews, you're all slave drivers ya know!


	13. Angst and Drama You Know You Love It

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 13

To all my reviewers, I love you. I really do, this fic is written in your honor. Today is my birthday and I thought I'd celebrate by putting up a new chapter. I'm horribly sick so I have nothing better to do anyway. My muse says she likes macadamia nuts in her cookies.

0o0o0

Malikai was quite pleased with himself. Alex had left a few minutes ago, promising not to kill him. They still didn't see eye to eye on the vampire issue but at least the paladin was beginning to see more than what he was told.

There is no black and white. There is no good and evil. There is no right and wrong. These were the truths he's come to accept. And now that he could see them, he was determined to live by them. Vampires were not all evil. Arucard was not evil. Seras was not evil.

Seras. The name tightened his chest with something between love and lust, he wanted her, needed her. He would like to think that it was moral philosophy that made him betray his church but that was a lie. A lie to Alex and a lie to himself. He was loyal to Hellsing for her sake, for Seras.

He ran a tired hand through his hair and went to find her, maybe he'd tell her he was in love with her, maybe he'd just stare at her like an idiot, who knew? Hopefully she wouldn't still be mad at him for telling her she had to die. That was not one of his more tactful moments. Although, he had just been backhanded into a wall, that'd make anyone a little grumpy.

He spotted Walter as he walked out of his room and flagged him down.

"Do you know where I can find Seras?"

The retainer opened the door he'd just come out of and held it, turning his body to allow the younger man to pass.

"Thank you."

He pushed past him, scanning the rooms other occupants before settling on the little blonde in the corner trying not to cry. She'd been standing perfectly still, trying to look small and harmless and not draw attention to herself.

"Seras?" he called timidly. Arucard stood up, making the legs of the chair he'd been sitting in screech across the floor. His power rolled off him in waves, blood red eyes coating the shadows his upper body had become.

"Malikai?" answered Seras, looking fearfully at her master. The elder vampire flinched at her words or maybe something he couldn't see and pulled his power back into himself. He sat stiffly, turning his back on the two and speaking in hushed tones to the woman sitting across from him.

She had long black hair, loose around her shoulders and trailing to the small of her back. He'd heard things about her, wild stories about immortality and serial murderers. She didn't turn her face to look at him.

He went to Seras, and took her hands in hers, folding his large fingers around her small ones and leading her gently to the door.

"Can I talk to you?" he whispered, she nodded dumbly and glanced at the ridged red back of her incensed master.

He ignored her.

They walked out of the room, hand in hand and Malikai was in heaven. He walked her down the hall to the main corridors of the building and out onto the veranda.

"Seras." He said, sitting her down on one of the chairs and smiling.

"I have some thing important to tell you."

0o0o0

The walls were stone. All the old ones had stone walls, it was just something they did, and no one ever questioned it. The torches in their rusted iron holders were real and burned with bright flame.

A long blood red carpet covered the stone floors and led the way in to and out of all the chambers and corridors. Feet followed the carpet, silent feet in soft leather boots, brushing against a thick velvet cloak.

"Mistress." Whispered a voice in the darkness.

"Seron." She replied.

"They know my Mistress. They will come for you." He said, moving out of the shadows to face his mistress. His hair was a deep scarlet, falling to his waist in a straight, fine curtain. His skin was pale; his eyes gleamed like emeralds, a green too impossibly green to be human. Large golden ankhs dangled from his ears.

"I know that. My master has already informed me. Go find Aramore and Meriquoi, then go to the throne room." She instructed.

"As you wish my Lady."

His voice fell like a caress on the air and then he was gone. She stared at the spot where he had stood only moments before and continued her trek to the throne room.

0o0o0

Integra looked up as Walter entered her office. He set a large stack of folders and a burned CD on her desk and gave her a small smile.

"This is everything we have on Mauve's cult. It includes their history and a blue print of the castle their using as a base of operations. Shall I take it down to Arucard?"

"No, I'll do it myself. Where is he anyway?" She asked, any excuse to see Arucard would do, not that she'd ever tell him that.

"My bedroom."

Integra arched an eyebrow.

"For the computer."

"I see. Thank you Walter."

She strode out of her office and down into the lower levels where Walter's rooms were located. She pushed open the door and found her vampire seated around the table with Shadow. They'd moved the computer from the small desk near the wall to where all of them could sit comfortably.

Arucard leaned back in his chair, using a knife to pick his teeth of some nonexistent scraps of food he hadn't eaten for two thousand years. Shadow resisted the urge to take the knife away from him.

They both looked up as she entered the room, cradling several files and a CD case.

"Here's everything. Get to work." She said, setting the files down. She gave them a cursory look before turning on her heel and leaving. She shut the door and continued walking yelling mentally at herself as she went.

She took any opportunity to see him but when she did see him she froze up and had to get away as quickly as possible. It didn't make any sense, she loved him didn't she?

0o0o0

Aramore was obscenely tall and thin, built like a basketball player with long limbs. His hair was snowy white that fell in a frothy mass to his shoulder blades. The smile on his face was enough to make even the most modest woman blush, the look in his eyes said he was thinking wicked thoughts.

Meriquoi was almost his exact opposite. He was tall, but not overly so with a sleek body lined with hard muscle. His shirt was white and did nothing to hide the bulges in his upper body and arms. His hair was cerulean blue, and tapered off at about knee length. His face was calm, and serene, as if nothing in the world mattered to him at all.

Seron was there as well, hiding behind his thick red hair, his earrings glinting in the firelight. They stood before the throne; Lady Mauve perched on its arm. In the throne itself sat a monster.

"The three of you are to hunt together. Seron, you will be charged with the duty of destroying the Vampire Arucard. Meriquoi, the Shadow Walker is yours, and Aramore, the child vampire Seras Victoria will be your target. Seron is in command of this mission."

The three bowed, their long hair sweeping the stone floor with its red carpets. They turned and left to gather their weapons.

Mauve turned to her master, her lover and stroked her pale hand down his hair. He was the only demon she knew of that could look so human. She watched the light play over the lines of his face and her ruby eyes glowed with insane love.

0o0o0

"So then, we're storming the castle? What fun!" cackled Arucard happily as he dug through the files.

"Does it matter? I don't care either way as long as they're dead." Said Shadow as she read from a neat stack of files to her right.

"Blood? Coffee?" Asked Walter who was being beyond tolerant of them using his room as a study hall.

"Sure." said Arucard.

"No thank you Walter, I can get my own." Said Shadow sticking her hand into a shadow gate and pulling out a streaming cup of her favorite human drink, spiced cider.

Walter bobbed his head and went to fetch a refreshment for the vampire.

0o0o0

"What is it Malikai?" asked Seras, now much more calm. He nerves ran high to frizzing when she was in her master's presence. She felt so horrible after attacking him. What kind of fledgling attacks their master?

"Seras, look at me will you?" said Malikai as he knelt before her and lifted her chin with gentle fingers.

She raised her garnet eyes to meet his green ones and nearly cried. His eyes were filled with so much kindness, so much forgiveness. She reached up to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and was engulfed in his arms.

"I love you Seras." He whispered to her ear.

She pulled back, looking at him with a question in her eyes. She searched his face and seemed to like what she found there because she smiled and softly brushed her lips against his.

"I love you too Malikai." She whispered.

He smiled and kissed her for real.

0o0o0

Aramore met Seron in the hall outside his door, all dressed in his tight pants and a scrap of cloth that may have began life as a shirt. Now it barely covered anything, showing off the planes of his chest.

"You're such a slut Aramore." Said Seron. His pants were loose and burning red with black trim to match his black vinyl shirt. He'd tied his hair back, leaving his face clean and handsome.

Aramore looked like a male prostitute, and was probably just that in his free time. Seron didn't really want to know if he was or not though. The white haired man leaned on the blade of his scythe, Black Siphon, and gave the other man a sultry smile. He flirted with anything that moved.

Seron rolled his eyes and gestured for the other to follow.

"Oh, lead on tall, dark and stud-ly!" said Aramore, putting away his scythe with a casual flick of his wrist and locking his eyes on the redhead's butt as it moved down the hall.

They met Meriquoi on the way; the hydrokinetic was still slipping his long sword in its sheath across the small of his back. He looked up as they came towards him but said nothing.

"Hey Mear-ri." Said Aramore, his eyes raking hungrily down the other man's body.

"Ahram. Sear."

Aramore, Ahram for short drew a hand through his snowy hair and blew the water sprite a kiss.

"Lets go guys. We don't have all day." Said Seron.

0o0o0

Allen, still quite drunk, was having another 'shot' of demon energy from the Deep. By now he was amusing himself by watching the lovely laser show that someone had kindly provided for him while riding the merry-go-round he'd just happened upon. People around here sure were nice.

Distantly he heard a scream but didn't pay much attention to it; after all it was only his mother.

0o0o0

Arucard sat bolt upright, the knife in his mouth clattering on the floor as it was flung away. He'd kept the link to his child open in case of any trouble and was getting bored of wave after wave of depression that he was constantly being hit with. Then that human, that putrescent ball of slime that dared to even exist in the same century as his child was putting his filthy mouth all over her!

The nerve of the insufferable little ingrate! He'd rip the boy limb from limb and see if the pieces could crawl! He'd nail the bastard in a coffin and make good on his threat! He'd! He'd…..loose his baby girl.

He'd stormed out of the room and found them on the porch, kissing. He just watched them for a moment and felt all her anger and sadness and despair vanish at the touch of his lips. He felt happiness and security well up inside her and he backed into the shadows. He swallowed and turned away, shutting the link between them as tightly as he could and retreating through the walls to his own room.

He sighed and sat heavily on his floor, legs straight out before him. He pulled out his gun and the normal bullets and switched the clips as he remembered his earlier promise to shoot himself if he ever saw them kiss.

"Please let me forget that." He begged of his gun before bringing it to his temple and resting the gun there. He waited, not really sure of his hesitation before tossing the weapon aside and curling up on his bed.

He wasn't in the mood to blow his head off tonight. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but the image of his child and her human kept coming back to him and he opened his link a tiny bit. He felt her contentment and her happiness, and heard her murmur those words to him over and over and he knew he had to let her go.

0o0o0

End part 13


	14. The Bad Guys

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 14

0o0o0

To my reviewers, life is good when you're 18, staying home from school and getting awesome reviews from wonderful people like you. I spent Saturday night at a club raving for three hours straight and I'm sore beyond belief, but because of all of you, I'm writing. I should be sleeping, but I read your reviews and I get all glowy inside and I have to update. Slave drivers, the lot of ya!

Plaid cat – of course you can call me Laz, it's much easier to say than Lazeralk anyway.

0o0o0

"Sear, I can't see."

A flame lit the darkness, casting shadows across three faces.

"Why is it that all pyros are red-heads?" asked Aramore, playing with a lock of his commander's hair.

"Genetic flaw." Answered Seron as he gave a jerk of his head, tugging his hair from the aerokinetic's grasp.

"Aww." Said Aramore, pouting.

Seron rolled his eyes. They walked along the darkened halls underneath the castle, the tunnels were the only way in and out and acted as a line of defense. They were filled with traps and hidden passageways.

The large gold and crystal ankh around Seron's neck was the only thing that could guide them through the stone labyrinth, lighting a path for them in red along the floor. The redhead extended his arm, the ball of fire in his hand glowing brightly.

"C'mon. I want to get this over with."

"Sure you do Sear." Said Aramore with a laugh.

"Shut up Ahram."

Aramore just laughed again.

0o0o0

Arucard couldn't remember when he'd fallen asleep but he didn't care. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling, tucking an arm behind his head, the other thrown over his stomach.

He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

So this is what hell felt like.

"I want her back." He told his light fixture.

Ah, but why Arucard? Is it just to sooth your bruised ego? Do you really love her, or is it is nothing but pride? Would I really sacrifice what little happiness my child has made for herself for the sake of my pride?

And what of my master? Integra loves me, I can feel that. And yet I ignore her. Is that pride also? Because she loves me, she is no challenge, and therefore I will not pursue her?

I have no answers and that's not good enough.

I will wait. I'll just leave it alone until I can understand my own feelings. Maybe then, if it's not to late, we can all be happy.

His thoughts turned bitter then, his inner voice filled with scorn.

And isn't that just what we want?

His light fixture didn't answer him.

0o0o0

Malikai pulled his trembling lips from that of his love and gave her a smile that warmed her heart. He lifted her up into his arms and sat down in the chair she'd just vacated, cradling her small body in his arms.

Seras relaxed against him and let her thoughts wander. She felt her master distantly, his mind dark and brooding as it usually was, but sad instead of bloodthirsty. She reached down the cord that bound them together and felt him stiffen.

-Do you want something police girl? –

-Master. Are you angry with me? – She asked.

-No. I'm not. – He said. Then she felt his body go ridged, and was suddenly aware of the pentagram above her, turning slowly.

-On your feet police girl. We have company. –

-Company? –

0o0o0

Seron looked up at the Hellsing mansion and smirked. Meriquoi and Aramore flanked him, gazing at the house with animosity.

"Well boys, shall we say hello?"

The front door opened to reveal Aramore's target. The little blonde had a halconnen slung across her shoulder; a box of ammo strapped to her back and a Cassul in her other hand.

"Aramore?"

"She's mine." Answered the scythe-wielding vampire.

He sauntered up to her, Black Siphon coming to his hand like a dog to it's masters call. She glared at him, her ruby eyes gleaming with determination.

"Hello little one. I'm Aramore and I'll be your executioner today." He said with a seductive smile.

"Bite me." Hissed Seras, bringing the gun up.

"Oh certainly!"

He lunged at her, deftly avoiding the bullet from the Cassul. She swung her cannon around and caught him across the temple, sending him skidding on the grass.

Arucard chose that moment to phase through the wall, his Jackals naked in his hands. He watched the fight between his child and the mysterious ruby eyed vampire and resisted the urge to help her. He could only spare her a glance before the only green-eyed vampire he'd ever seen was on him.

Seron's fingers had grown into claws and he was slashing his target's coat to ribbons but not doing much else. Arucard brought up his gun and fired. The pyrokinetic jerked his head to the side and bullet severed a few strands of his fire red hair. He growled and caught the Hellsing vamp across the face, ripping huge gashes in his pale skin.

Meriquoi stood absolutely still, extending his senses to their limit as he searched for his target. The Shadow Walker had to be around here somewhere. He knew that killing her would not be possible; the most he could hope for would be to trap her within the Deep with her kin. He'd focus his energy on finding her first, then he'd worry about trapping her.

Aramore was not liking the halconnen; he'd been smacked upside the head with it a total of six times so far and it was beginning to make him dizzy. He flashed his fangs at her and swept Black Siphon up and across, neatly slicing the barrel in half.

"Hey!" cried Seras, looking at her now useless weapon.

"Hey yourself!" returned the snow haired vamp. He dissolved into shadow and rematerialized behind her. He slashed at her back, removing the ammo box and a good half of her shirt.

He pinned her in place with his scythe and his hands, using his tongue to lick along her spine. Seras screamed out of shock, surprised by the lack of pain. She tried to turn and look at him, struggling to free herself.

"You're so pretty, no wonder the no life king brought you over. Has he had his way with you yet little girl?" he whispered, bringing a blush to her cheeks. He licked his lips and plunged his fangs into her neck.

0o0o0

"Sir Integra, I do believe the house is under attack, yet again." Said Walter calmly, a hint of sarcasm in his otherwise banal voice.

"And here I thought we'd met our quota for the year." Said Integra bitterly as she rubbed her throbbing temples.

"Deploy the troops, lets get this over with." She continued, rising and tucking a second gun into her coat pocket.

"Right away Sir Integra."

She watched him walk out of her office and sighed.

When this is over, she thought to herself, I'm going on a vacation.

0o0o0

Shadow emerged from the darkness, her figure pushing itself from the blackened ground. She watched as Arucard put a bullet into the knee of a red haired vampire and saw Seras' eyes widen in pain as a snow-white head worried at her neck like a dog with a bone. She finally saw her own opponent, waiting calmly for her arrival.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She told him, shifting into a comfortable stance.

"It's no trouble." He returned politely. He gave her a small bow, sliding a long sword form a sheath across the small of his back.

"I'm Meriquoi, in case you're wondering, and we've been sent to subdue you and your friends." He told her, slipping into his own crouching stance.

"I see. Shall we?"

"If you insist."

They seemed to slide along the ground, feet never really moving. They crashed into each other, their blades screaming as they met. She turned her weight into the blades and backed away as he slashed downward. He was amazingly fast, weaving intricate patterns with such a large sword.

She did her best to keep up with him, but is was all she could do to just block.

Arucard was absolutely ecstatic. His redheaded friend was simply amazing. He was reforming his face for the third time in the last five minutes as a result of the other's claws. He'd shattered Seron's kneecaps and was aiming for a headshot when his opponent stuck a hand in his face and lit him on fire.

Arucard howled with fury, dissolving into shadows to quench the flames. He reformed himself and watched as the redhead did the same, using the respite to heal his knees. Seron stood up straight and launched himself back at his target.

Seras drove the back of her fist into Aramore's head, causing him to let go of her. The space from neck to shoulder was red ruin, blood pouring down her uniform.

She dropped what remained of her halconnen, the nerves in her fingers twitching from the injury. She whirled around and caught her attacker in the face with the Cassul, throwing him backwards. She shot him twice in the chest and he screamed, but didn't turn into ash like she expected.

Seron froze when he heard his friend scream and pulled back, leaving a howling Arucard behind.

"Fall back!" he roared, watching Meriquoi speak to the woman he was fighting before vanishing in a spout of water. He threw flames at the child vampire and saw her shrink back in terror, hissing at the wall that separated her from them.

Seron carefully lifted the withering form of his comrade and teleported them both to the entrance of the tunnels in a pillar of fire. Meriquoi was waiting for them, nursing a gash on his arm that hadn't stopped bleeding.

He lay Aramore down on the ground and pulled a knife out of his boot, he plunged it into his friend's chest and dug for the bullets, hoping to take them out before they did any real damage.

"Hold on Ahram, don't you dare die on me." He whispered feverently.

0o0o0

Arucard watched as the last of the flames died down under the care of the Hellsing troops. They'd arrived too late on the scene, the three assassins already gone by the time Integra had shown up.

Seras had been rushed to the infirmary to see doctor Cunningham, who was waiting with a fresh supply of blood for her. Shadow stood beside him, cleaning her blades.

"So." She said.

"I'd never seen a vampire with green eyes before." He mused out loud.

"The one I fought, Meriquoi, had blue eyes." She said.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to sleep. Wake me if they come back." He said, turning to walk through the wall.

"Sure." She said, twisting her wrists and letting her blades vanish into the Deep.

0o0o0

End part 14

I know, this one's short, but I'm sick and lazy and going to sleep now. Oh well, at least you met my babies. Seron, Aramore and Meriquoi live in my head and they are mine. My own personal bishis who are protesting quite adamantly their roles as bad guys. They usually aren't this evil, really. Although, Ahram really is that much of a slut.


	15. Arucard and Integra, Seron and Mauve

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 15

I fixed some grammar things in chapters 13 and 14 so…yeah. To my reviewers, I can't tell you that I love you enough. And my ever-faithful plaid cat, this chapter is dedicated to you.

0o0o0

Seras listened to the little beeping noise of the heart monitor she was hooked up to, the only sound in her desolate hospital room. She could will her heart not to beat and she'd be fine but the doctor insisted that they keep it anyway. Her shoulder had been cleaned and stitched as best as possible but chunks of meat were missing from her flesh. There was nothing they could do but wait for it to grow back.

She'd tried to flex her fingers and had been both pleased and horrified that they worked just fine. She could move her whole arm and not feel anything more than a dull throbbing.

Malikai sat in a chair to her right, fast asleep. He'd stayed with her though the entire operation and was now exhausted. She smiled fondly at him, watching as his chest rose and fell with every breath he took. He'd been frantic with worry when she'd walked past his office, blood trailing behind her like she was painting a river on the floor.

She suppressed a laugh as she recalled his face. He'd been so worried about her.

Her master hadn't even spared her a glance. When she's called for him, all he said was: 'Drink some blood police girl, I'll have you're gun fixed.' And that was it. She was a little disappointed.

Malikai had been there for her, why hadn't her master?

0o0o0

Meriquoi had taken over when Seron's fingers were trembling to hard to work properly. The pyro held a flame above his two friends as Mear-ri worked. The serene vampire used his hydrokinesis to lift the bullets to the surface of the chalk white skin they were imbedded in. Blood was a lot like water, and he could control both in simple things like this. He plucked the bullets out, but the crosses had already done damage to his systems.

Aramore had stopped breathing a while ago, but they weren't worried about it. They were much more concerned with the massive amount of blood he'd lost.

"Sear." The injured one choked.

"What is it Ahram?"

"Blood."

"I'll get it for you." The red head promised. He searched around in the darkness and found an unlit torch. He snatched it off the wall and lit it, planting it in the ground near Meriquoi's feet.

"Don't let him die." He told the water sprite.

"I won't."

Seron gave them both a long look before engulfing himself in flame and vanishing into the night, searching for prey to feed his brothers.

0o0o0

Arucard paced, restless steps over stone floors. His feet hit the floor over and over, beating out a rhythm as his body moved. The human whelp was taking care of Seras, she was safe and happy. He had nothing left to do but protect her. He was out of the running now.

Now what? Now what do I do to pass the time? Integra, my master, my keeper. I want her. Now don't get me wrong here, I don't love her or anything stupid like that. I just want a good lay is all. I've had thousands of human women, why should she be any different? I don't do that sappy romance stuff.

Arucard sighed and decided to get out of his room and go seduce his master. It's a spur of the moment thing, it has no meaning, he told himself.

He phased through the wall and made his way to her bedroom, hoping to find her sleeping.

She was sitting in an armchair, reading. He froze in the doorway, she was absolutely stunning. Her slender form was draped with loose white satin; her long legs were propped up on a stool, his skin from ankle to thigh gloriously bare.

Her glasses caught the light, blanking her eyes before she pulled them off her face and set them on the nightstand. Her arms were bare too, his skin glowing like caramel.

"Is there something you need Arucard?"

He smiled, his fangs glinting in the low lighting.

"Need my master? You have no idea."

0o0o0

Seron hissed, drawing the woman into a tight embrace before snapping her neck. He threw her over his shoulder and teleported himself to his brother's side. Meriquoi had his hands over Aramore's chest, his fingers glowing with blue light.

"How is he?" asked the red head.

The blue haired man turned and smiled, his face lighting up beautifully.

"I froze his blood so he won't loose anymore. Did find something?"

"Yeah. I'll defrost him, but you get to feed him."

Meriquoi nodded and took the body from his commander. He'd pull the blood out and controlled it as if it were water, holding it suspended in the air until Aramore was ready to drink it. He watched as Seron bent over the comatose wind sprite and his hands glowed red.

Seron frowned at Aramore's too-still body and sent a blaze of warmth through him, channeling his concern and love for the annoying prick into the icy flesh. Blood began to flow again and Aramore opened his wine colored eyes.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." Returned the pyro.

Seron finished his work and moved so Meriquoi would have better access to their fallen kin. The water user held the blood over the other vampire's mouth and smiled.

"Open up sleep head. Say 'Ah!'

"Ahhh." Said Aramore as he opened his mouth wide and began to drink the blood his brother filtered to him psychicly. He swallowed it greedily and they watched as the wounds closed and his skin became smooth and perfect again.

He sat up, using the wind to pull himself to his feet.

"Ah! It feels so good to be back from the brink of death." He joked as he called up a mini tornado and spun the leaves around them. He loved the feel of the wind in his face.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." Said Seron. Aramore had just enough time to glance in his direction before a fist caught him across the temple.

"Hey!" cried the wind sprite.

0o0o0

"What did you say?" asked Integra, her eyes widening a fraction. This was most unlike Arucard. What the hell was wrong with him?

"I want you my master. And I always get what I want."

Except Seras, his mind whispered.

Integra glared at him. This is what she wanted wasn't it? She'd dreamed of this night, longed for it with an intensity that frightened her. Why did she hesitate? Because this is not Arucard. He'd never do this, not in a million years.

"What's wrong with you Arucard?"

He scowled, lips sliding over his fangs and making him appear almost…human.

"Isn't it enough that I'm offering you you're dreams master? Can't you just take what I give you…Integra?"

"Not like this. Something happened to you and you're acting irrational. I will not be reduced to some whore you'll take to your bed because you're angry over something else and need to work off some frustration. Get out." She hissed, her face contorting with rage.

"Master, we both need it." He said, trying to salvage the mood.

"I am Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing. How dare you! Get out of my sight this instant, vampire!" She cried as she stood, her eyes filled with cold fury.

Arucard growled and charged at her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her roughly to him, flashing his fangs dangerously. Integra glared at him, silently plotting his death. He held her still for a moment, his breathing ragged as he fought to control his emotions. He brought his face to the clean skin of her neck; his lips and nose caressing it as he traveled down, his breath became a hot rush, raising the hair along her spine.

He released her abruptly and strode out of the room with out a glance behind.

The door shut with a snap and Integra listened to his feet hit the floor angrily as he stalked away from her bedroom. She sunk to the carpet, her satin nightgown riding up around her thighs. She covered her eyes with her hand and shuddered. She'd never been more terrified in her entire life. Arucard, the one man she trusted beyond all others had almost. He'd almost. She shook her head, refusing to think about it and just sat on her floor and tried not to cry.

0o0o0

Allen had stopped drawing in demon energy quite a while ago and was now most sorely sorry he'd even began in the first place. His entire being pulsed with pain and nausea. He could 'look' around the Deep with his metaphysical eyes and what he saw disturbed him. The Deep was normally a vast, echoing, void of inky blackness. There was no sound or taste or feel to it other than a bone chilling emptiness.

This however was something else entirely. In his almost drunken haze from absorbing so much demonic energy he'd become attuned to the patterns of the power. He could see the spell, traced in a black that somehow stood out against the black of the Deep, and far worse, he could see the half formed Shadow-Walkers as they struggled against it. He could finally hear their screams and piteous cries for freedom.

He cringed, what amounted to his metaphysical head was now throbbing with the noise. It was going to be a long night.

0o0o0

"We're going after them again tonight aren't we?" asked Aramore as he ripped his clothes off. They were gathered in his room within the castle, having just come back from the meeting with Lady Mauve.

Meeting. Right. Aramore would call it a chewing out, but that was putting it lightly. Mauve was a total bitch. He glanced uneasily at Seron as he searched his closet for a shirt that wasn't covered in blood. The redhead had made himself comfortable on the wind sprite's bed, his back to the wall and knees drawn up to his chest, held in place by his long pale arms.

"Yeah." Answered the pyro. Meriquoi sank down on the bed beside him and gently touched his arm. Seron looked at him, his impossibly green eyes wide and vulnerable.

"Sear." Whispered the water sprite, offering his arms.

Seron sighed and unfolded his legs, stretching them along the bed. He crawled the rest of the way to Meriquoi's embrace and curled up on his lap, resting his head on his friend's chest. Meriquoi wrapped his arms around his back and nestled his chin in fire red locks.

Aramore didn't comment as he changed into clean pants and crawled up on the bed. He lay down next to Seron and threw an arm around his waist, his head resting on Meriquoi's hip.

"She's a bitch Sear, you gotta get over her." He told him.

Seron snorted.

Meriquoi looked down at the two men on top of him and sighed happily; moments like this were rare, only coming after Mauve said something particularly evil to Seron. The pyro was head over heels in love with the stupid whore they served and she knew it. She used him, not caring at all if he was hurt or upset. She was madly in love with her demon master anyway.

Seron was just hurting himself by foolishly loving her.

"Just give it up Sear. She'll never come around. You have us don't you?"

"You're not her." Replied the redhead stubbornly.

Aramore glanced up at Meriquoi, wine red eyes peeking through his snow-white hair. The blue haired vampire returned the look; they were both worried about him.

0o0o0

Arucard growled and delivered a hard punch to his wall.

Damnit! That was not how it was suppose to be. She loved him damnit, she should give him what he wants. But still she denied him, hung up on her pride and her morals and her stupid family honor.

"Damnit." He said out loud, glaring at the cracking hole in his wall like it suppose to give him the answer he wanted.

Answer. Sure, he didn't even know the question.

"Integra." He whispered, turning to lean against his abused wall and closing his eyes. This night just kept getting worse.

0o0o0

End part 15

Ok, it's done. Sigh. More angst and drama. My muse is trying to tell me something I'm sure. Oh well, I'll work on part 16 tomorrow.


	16. Battle Preparations

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 16

To my reviewers, you guys are great. Sorry this one took so long, I've been having some rough spots in the real world, not to mention my own head. Seron and I are having a spat, so I've taken to keeping my company with Meriquoi and that's just sparked even more temper tantrums, and they won't stop arguing. My muse finds the whole thing hysterical, and there will be much angst as a result in the upcoming chapters. Sorry. A new guy has moved in as well, everyone say hi to Isaac.

Faye – Yes, I have read Anita Blake, all sixteen (?) of the books five times apiece, I love them, I adore them, and they are my life's blood. Jean-Claude should be worshiped as the sex god that he is. Richard must die. Edward is GOD.

Liz - Here's you're much desired shout out, I love your reviews. Seron is my snuggle bunny, even if we're not speaking to each other right now. He'll get more lovable as it goes I'm afraid.

0o0o0

Shadow carefully set aside the folders she'd spent the last hour organizing, and sighed. She'd been left alone in Walter's room with a stack of files on her side of the table and scattered papers on Arucard's side. Seras had left with Malikai, the human trembling with nerves. She wondered what had him so up tight. Arucard had left shortly after, growling something about his child and murder. Sometimes telepathy was a pain in the ass.

She sat back down at the little table and stared at the wood, thinking about the future as her kind were wont to do. When her people were freed, she would return to the Deep. Arucard and Integra would be disappointed, but that's the way it had to be.

She stood and made her way to the wall, seeking the refuge of her home. She sank through the layers of the Shallows and into the Deep, reveling in the power she found there. The sword had stopped moving the energy around in here, so the spell was quiet. The cries of her people echoed less now that the magic had settled.

She floated to her home and sat back at her table, they were going to storm Mauve's castle in a few hours.

0o0o0

Seras was frantic with worry. She checked herself over in the mirror, straightened her skirt and tightened her gloves. She glanced at Malikai and then back at the mirror and then did it all over again. Malikai was sitting on her bed, watching her go through her nervous dance, waiting for her master to give the order to move out. Her halconnen had been replaced by a stressed Walter earlier that day and a fresh supply of shells had been placed outside her door. She had a Beretta in a shoulder holster, tucked under her left arm, the Cassul in a hip holster and extra clips for each stuffed in every other available space.

She was going through her straightening and fixing routine for the umpteenth time when a warm pair of hands rested firmly on her shoulders. She looked in the mirror and found Malikai's soft green eyes, watching her calmly.

"Relax love, you'll be glorious." He told her, wrapping his arms around her thin frame and resting his chin in her silky hair.

"Malikai." She whispered, her nerves slowly unwinding.

"I love you." He told her, squeezing her to him.

"I love you." She returned. She meant the words, but her mind kept drifting.

Arucard.

0o0o0

"Let's go." Said Aramore, stretching his lanky form.

"No."

"No?"

"They're coming here."

"Are you sure?"

"Are you a whore?"

"Will the sun rise tomorrow?"

"Ok, ok, I get it. Geez." Aramore glared at the two men he was currently sharing his bed with. It just wasn't fair when they ganged up on him. He stuck his tongue out at Meriquoi who just rolled his eyes in return.

"So, we're lounging until they get here?"

"Yep."

"Seron darling, don't you know there are so many more, pleasurable, ways to kill the time?" suggested Aramore, his fingers dancing down the red heads back, his tone dripping with sensuality. He very gently rubbed his leg along the other man's side, grinding his hips on his friend's thigh.

Seron groaned.

"Go fuck Meriquoi. I'm not in the mood."

"Oh, c'mon."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"No."

"It'll be worth your while."

"No!"

0o0o0

Arucard stuffed the many inner pockets in his over coat with spare clips. He shivered in anticipation for the battle to come. The fight promised to be one of his most glorious yet, especially if the redhead was there again. A pyrokinetic vampire, he grinned at the thought, a truly worthy opponent. This would be even more fun than blowing Anderson to bits. And that was pretty fun.

He'd been thrilled when Integra had given the order, her face cold and impersonal even after the fright he'd given her not a few hours earlier. He was still yelling at himself for that, but he just couldn't keep the smile off his face at the promise of blood shed. Maybe she wasn't so angry with him after all.

He opened the link between them, feeling the weight of the spell that bound him to her like a giant coil around his entire being. He followed the line mentally, the pentagram above him pulsing with his power as it made it's eternal circle over the house. His precious, meticulous seals, built with blood and power for over twenty years.

He felt the comforting presence of his master's mind as he slipped in unnoticed. Nope. She was still pist. And oh dear, he really hoped that wasn't supposed to be him. He didn't feel like going back into the dungeon, and he really didn't want to be impaled with several hundred, small, blessed blades at the same time. He had this sinking feeling that his skin would eventually grow around the blades and then he'd be horribly deformed and have no chance at all with her. Not that he'd have any chance while he was locked in the dungeon.

He pulled out of her mind and decided against going in to annoy her before the battle, though she usually had better aim when she was angry. Most people get distracted when they're upset, but Integra became obsessively focused instead. She always was kind of weird.

His fingers were shaking. Why were his fingers shaking? Excitement, hunger. Yes, he'd skipped his blood ration; he'd have plenty on the battlefield tonight. Mauve would have lots of fresh meat on hand. She always did. She was crazy but she was also paranoid. Blood would be easy to find, and he'd feast the way he was meant to, the way he'd done before his capture. He'd have fresh, hot blood, filled with fear and pain and power.

Oh yes, let the blood bath begin.

0o0o0

Mauve tapped her foot impatiently; her master was refusing to leave the throne. She wanted to play, why couldn't she play? She growled and left him behind, he was always right where she left him anyway. She stalked the hall and found one of the many humans she'd kidnapped. They were allowed to roam the castle and do whatever they wished.

It was kind of fun to watch them try to escape. They never made it out alive, not a single one. Some of them got creative once in a while and a few actually discovered the tunnels under ground, but none of them ever made it out.

She grabbed the girl's arm and ripped it out of the socket, ignoring her sharp scream of pain and her tears. She drank the blood delicately, swirling the severed limb like a martini glass. Hmm, a little too sweet for her tastes, but it would do. The girl was screeching at the top of her lungs, wailing piteously at the stump that use to be her arm. Mauve just left her there, walking along the halls distractedly, the detached hand bouncing along her leg as she walked. She took another dainty sip of the sweet blood and decided to go find Seron.

She always felt better after beating on him for a while.

0o0o0

"The tunnels are the only way in or out, and I'd bet my cigars that they're filled with traps and dead ends. Try not to die before you reach the target." Snapped Integra angrily.

"Lady Hellsing. Wouldn't it be easier if we just walked the Shallows?" Asked Shadow as she studied the blueprints.

"You can get all three of you past the tunnels?"

"I can. The Shallows are a much safer route."

"Do it then. May God and Her Majesty go with you. Dismissed."

Shadow turned on her heel and walked through the door, Arucard right behind her. Seras had to open it to get out. The three of them walked down the stairs, a madly grinning nosfaratu leading them. The two girls flanked him, Shadow looking dark and seemingly unarmed, Seras looking like a cute twelve year old loaded for bear.

Arucard cackled at the thought, this was going to be fun.

0o0o0

"Up."

"Do I have to?"

"Get off me Ahram. We have to get ready to fight now."

"Aww….."

The white haired vamp rolled over and let his commander up. The redhead peeled himself off of Meriquoi's lap and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, cracking his neck.

Meriquoi silently padded over to where his sword was leaning against the wall and strapped it to his waist. His clothes were actually quite clean.

Seron sighed and looked at the bloody holes over his knees, the pants were ruined. He shrugged them off his hips, and began to dig through Aramore's closet while the almost blonde sprawled himself seductively on the bed and stared at him. He found a pair of pants that weren't skintight and tried them on. Aramore whistled and he immediately took them off.

"You have such a cute butt Sear." Complemented Aramore, even as he caught the bundle of see through material that the pyro threw at his face.

Seron sighed and pulled out a pair of flaming red pants and struggled into them. Aramore was laughing at him, he just knew it. When he finally got all the buttons, laces and zippers securely fastened, he walked to the wall and stared at his reflection.

The slut of their little group had a mirror taking up his entire left wall. Typical.

The pants made his hair stand out even more starkly against his black vinyl shirt and looked painted on. He wasn't quite sure what they were made of and at this point wasn't sure he really wanted to know either.

"You are so hot. Can we please just have a quickie before we go get ourselves killed?"

He was never wearing Aramore's clothes ever again.

0o0o0

The castle was actually bigger then they expected. But she guessed it would have to be pretty big to house a demon-worshipping cult of vampires and enough humans to feed them all. Seras briefly wondered what demons ate, if they ate anything. She glanced expectantly at Shadow as the mysterious woman studied the castle's outer walls.

She turned her attention to the huge stone building and was slightly surprised to see that there wasn't a single window in the entire thing. Who builds a castle without windows? Oh right, vampires.

"Ready to kill police girl?" asked her master, turning his blood red eyes on her. His smile was more psychotic than she could ever remember it. It was frightening to look at; the sheer amount of raw blood lust that one expression contained was enough to turn her stomach.

"Master." She said, her eyes sliding away from his gleeful face.

"Let's go." He said, his arm reaching out to take Shadows hand. She glared at him and he grabbed for his guns instead. He was almost bouncy with excitement, joyfully anticipating the fight to come like a child on his first trip to Disney Land.

Shadow scowled at him and turned to give Seras a reassuring smile. She held out her hand to the young vampire and squeezed it comfortingly when it came. Seras smiled back, her hands ceasing the mindless pawing of her weapon.

"Ready?"

She nodded and then looked around as the world faded to black. The castle walls melted around them and they were suddenly standing in a hallway with torches lining the walls, and a blood red carpet beckoning them forth.

0o0o0

End part 16

I'm thinking that this will be finished in 18 parts. Next part will be the big fight and stuff and one more to wrap everything up, sound good?


	17. On Pain of Death

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 17

To my reviewers, I love you guys. This chapter is for you as it always is.

0o0o0

They'd passed six corpses so far. Six people just dead in the hallway. There was one girl who was still alive; her arm had been torn out at the shoulder and she was bleeding everywhere. Master finished her off, said it was the humane thing to do. The look on his face said he just wanted her blood.

Seras didn't know what was wrong with her; she was usually much more organized than this, much more focused. This place was unnerving her though; the evil in the air that was just this side of tolerable was beginning to grate on her. The walls were screaming, not loud, but just on the edge of her range of hearing.

Her master was nearly prancing down the halls, turning here and there like he'd lived here all his life. He even led them through a secret passage hidden in the wall once. He'd been here before, that much was obvious. Shadow just ghosted along beside him, never making a single sound. If it weren't for her own breathing, she'd think this corridor deserted.

They rounded a corner and found the blue haired vampire that Shadow had fought with waiting patiently.

"Greetings." He said.

"Mine." Said Shadow as she approached him. Arucard whined.

"That's not fair."

"Live with it." She snapped back.

"When ever you're ready Lady Shadow. I have only one request of you, if you are willing." He said, all perfectly polite, as if they weren't about to fight to the death.

"What?" asked the Shadow Walker.

"Make Lady Mauve's death a painful one." He said simply as he slipped his sword from its sheath and slid into a stance neither Seras nor Arucard recognized.

"Of course." Answered Shadow, as she too, took her stance.

His shoulders didn't exactly slump, but there was some small movement to him that at once conveyed his gratitude and a sense of peace, as if some weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Shadow bowed her head and charged him, still completely silent. They met in a clash of metal, sparks flying from the blades. They moved faster than the eye could follow, dodging and striking, neither having a clear advantage. With his free hand, he traced an arc in the air, water gushing fourth from thin air to follow it. He aimed it at her face and the tiny trickle of liquid became a full-fledged flood as it slammed her into the floor.

He charged her while she was getting to her feet, blocked a side slash, then he arced his sword and caught one of her blades by the hilt and sent it skidding into the wall. She growled at him and her second blade ripped through his chest and sent him falling backwards.

He smiled at her, then dissolved into ash, his sword clattering on the floor sharply.

She stilled, sending her prayers up for her opponent, dripping water. He'd been good; he deserved a better death than that. She glanced at her remaining blade, and the word Hellsing etched into its surface. The metal had held.

Arucard yawned loudly, making a show of waking himself up and pushing himself bodily from the wall he'd been leaning against.

"Are you done yet?" he asked, looking at a watch hidden under his glove.

She opened a shadow gate under her blade and brought it back to her hand, then flipped him the bird.

He laughed and then bounced along the corridor, seeking their next challenge.

Shadow rolled her eyes.

0o0o0

"Meriquoi." Said Seron, his voice filled with agony as he felt his friend, his brother die. He covered his face with his hands and fought the urge to curl up into a little ball and cry. As soon as he thought of it, the tears began to pour down his face, tracing angry red lines across his alabaster skin.

0o0o0

-Mother. –

-Not now Allen, I'm in the middle of a mission. – Snapped Seras, her already frayed nerves making her agitated.

-Listen mother, you can't win without me. You remember the words don't you? –

-Allen! Not now! –

0o0o0

Arucard was absolutely spec-fucking-tacular. The joy that sang through his veins, carried through his body by fresh blood, was the one thing that had kept him sane and existing for the last two thousand years. God, he felt wonderful!

Blood! Death! A worthy challenge, what more could any true nosfaratu want?

He skipped merrily through the halls, remembering all the twists and turns as he worked his way towards the throne room, where his ultimate goal lay. He could feel it, the demon that was his to kill, waiting for him.

This was going to be so~o good! He thought giddily, resisting the urge to start singing. Not that he had a bad voice mind you, but there were certain images to maintain and he thought his child just might faint of shock were he to start singing. Well, maybe that would depend entirely on what he sang, as he said before, his voice wasn't bad. Tone though; was another matter all together.

0o0o0

Aramore clutched at his heart, his face twisting with pain. Meriquoi was dead, his Meriquoi, his best friend, his brother. The guy that took care of him when he was hurt, and made sure he had clean clothes, and let him sleep with him when he got lonely, was gone. His Meriquoi.

They were coming, he knew they were. His mistress had said to kill them, but he didn't really want to. They hadn't done anything to them. But they killed Meriquoi. They killed him. So now they had to die. He tried to feel the burning rage that such a death should accompany, but he didn't. He just felt…..hollow. He felt as if something vital had been ripped out of his body and he was paralyzed.

God, Meriquoi. If any of them had ended up dead, it should have been him. Seron was just too stubborn to die and Meriquoi was so cool, so collected. You'd never peg him for a weakling. He wasn't weak, he'd sparred with him often enough to get his ass handed to him on a plate. If they could beat Mear-ri they could beat him.

He rubbed at his chest and frowned thoughtfully. He didn't care. If Meriquoi went down, he didn't really care what happened now. They could kill him, whatever, as long as he got to see Meriquoi again. He really just didn't care.

0o0o0

Arucard rounded the corner and stopped dead (no pun intended). Leaning against the wall, was the white haired vamp that had tried to rip his child's arm off. He looked up at them, and his eyes were swimming with tears and sorrow and a deep pain.

"Meriquoi." He whispered.

Oh. A sap. Great.

Arucard sighed; this wasn't going to be any fun at all. This guy was sobbing over some dead vamp and wouldn't be a challenge. He pulled out his gun and took careful aim. His target abruptly vanished and reappeared not two feet in front of him, wielding a huge black scythe. The cursed metal bit through his arm and rather messily severed it at the elbow.

He winced when his gun hit the stone floor with an odd ping. He really hoped the barrel wasn't dented now. His arm wasn't important, he could always regenerate it. A wave of shock, then worry and finally disgust and annoyance came from his child. He always got the most interesting reactions from her.

The scythe caught him at mid chest, cleanly slicing through skin and bone. Ok, so maybe this guy wasn't a pushover. Shadow was scowling at him.

-It took you this long to figure that out? He had to cut you in half to be any challenge? – She asked in his mind. How did she know how to do that? Oh, yeah, she was 'highly psychic'. Big Bad Shadow Walker.

-I heard that. –

Arucard cackled gleefully as he dissolved into a mess of blood and thicker things then reformed himself, perfectly as usual, not even a bloodstain on his coat.

The white haired vamp lifted his hand and the air around the newly reformed nosfaratu smashed into him, squeezing his body from all sides. He flicked his fingers and the wind sliced into his skin, whirling around him until the pressure on his body fought to merge with the tornado, creating a suction effect strong enough to rip the no life king to pieces.

Arucard reformed himself yet again and scowled at his opponent. Aramore gave him hostile eyes. He lunged at him again, his face cold and blank, ready for true death. Arucard felt a moment's pity for him before shooting him in the head and the heart at the exact same time with both of his new Jackals.

Aramore closed his wine colored eyes and didn't open them again, his body falling backwards as it dissolved into ash. The black scythe dropped to the floor with a clang.

Two down.

They skirted around the pile and kept moving. Only the red head was left. Arucard's smile widened at the thought of the pyro. Fun.

0o0o0

Seron choked back his tears as yet another part of his soul was ripped away. Aramore was gone. No more suggestive comments, no teasing, no innuendo. No more curling up on his bed, just to sleep. He'd never had sex with him, he was quite straight thank you very much, but the comfort, the warmth, just knowing that he was accepted and even loved made all the difference. Aramore would have loved and accepted anyone. He was just like that. And now he was dead. Truly dead.

Gods, it hurt.

Both of them. Aramore and Meriquoi. Both gone. They would pay. Arucard would pay very dearly indeed.

0o0o0

-Mother. –

-Shut up Allen. –

-The words mother, the words! You must speak them now! –

-I am in the middle of a very important mission right now! I can't stop or loose focus for even an instant! Do you want me dead? Do you want to spend eternity in there or not? –

-Mother! –

-No! Just relax Allen. I'll let you out when we get home ok? –

-But mother! –

-No! –

0o0o0

They rounded another corner, and there he was. Arucard nearly salivated at the sight. The red haired vamp was blocking the hall, his head bowed, hair obscuring his face, fire dancing all around his form.

"Arucard. You will pay for the deaths of my brothers." He said, lifting his eyes to meet his enemy's. His face was filled with rage, pure and untainted. His eyes had turned blood red, a sign of his anger and his thirst for blood.

Arucard just smiled, flexing his hands around the grips of his guns. He'd been waiting for this fight all night long; he wasn't about to let it be ruined by some sentimental crap.

Seron pushed his fingers together and slowly pulled them apart, forming a spinning fireball between them. He hissed and launched it at his foe, spinning rivulets of flame into dozens of spears. He threw them at the three of them, not caring what he hit. The blonde screamed as a flame spear hit her in the shoulder. The Shadow Walker pulled it out and closed it up. She'd have a scar for the rest of her life.

Arucard was dodging left and right as the stone walls, floor and ceiling began to heat. In a few minutes they'd glow red and become his weapons also. He was immune to heat, to fire. Just like it was impossible for Meriquoi to drown, for Aramore to suffocate. Not that it mattered much now.

Seron pulled two long knives from the hidden sheaths on his thighs; he held them in front of his face and concentrated, absently throwing up a wall of fire between himself and his opponents. No true vampire aside from him could walk through fire and survive. Vamps burn real good; it's got something to do with purity and all that.

He focused his power into the blades and they glowed red hot, not enough heat to melt them, but enough to leave a lasting wound on as powerful a vamp as Arucard. Maybe he'd even kill the bastard.

He walked right through his own wall and shoved the knife into his enemy's stomach. Arucard actually screamed. Seron smiled. He'd die tonight, the Shadow Walker would see to that, but maybe he could have his revenge first. He twisted the knife and had a hole blown through his upper thigh in return. The Jackal was almost pressed against his body. There was huge chunk of flesh missing, but you really couldn't tell, his pants were the same color as his blood.

"Just die!" he commanded, sinking the other knife into Arucard's shoulder. The Hellsing vamp howled with fury, swinging the arm attached to that shoulder up and around, aiming his gun at Seron's temple. The redhead froze, and let a smile cross his face.

"Meriquoi, Aramore." He said. Then Arucard pulled the trigger and they both slumped to the ground, before the red head turned to ash and the flames abruptly vanished.

"Master!" cried Seras as she knelt beside him and yanked on the still burning knives stuck in his body. His flesh was beginning to cauterize around the blades, sealing itself up, growing black and dead. He let out a long breath and pulled the knife out of his stomach, his skin still smoking. Shadow pulled the other knife out of his shoulder, and hissed at what she saw.

"That's going to scar, if you can't get it to stop bleeding." She told him.

He reformed himself slowly, the power pulsing painfully. His whole being throbbed with pain, his skin was covered in burns.

"Well, the coat is ruined." He said lightly, looking down at the brunt fabric. It would 'scar' like his skin and he'd have to replace it. At least his hat was ok.

"Master, you're in no condition to fight. Let Miss Shadow take you home." Demanded Seras.

"Are you crazy? Oh wait, that's me." He replied with a laugh as he hauled himself wincingly to his feet. He braced against the wall and yelped, pulling his fingers back sharply. The walls were still hot to the touch.

"Lets go." Said Shadow, leading them quickly off the heated floor to cooler tiles before the soles of their boots melted off.

The hall was much shorter than it looked, ending abruptly with a heavy wooden door.

"This is it." Said Arucard as he pushed it open. The throne room waited beyond, Mauve and her master inside.

0o0o0

End part 17

Ok, I lied, it will be done in 19 parts. Maybe.


	18. Blood Bath

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 18

Sigh. You guys really are slave drivers. Well here it is my masters!

0o0o0

Mauve poured over the maps, written in the ancient language of the Shadow Walkers. It was all here, the world they were looking for with its enchanted fountain. The world was described in detail, but there were no directions on how to get there.

She slammed her fist down on the table, the wood splintering. How the hell was she going to get there? Her lover could get her into the shadow realm, into the Deep. But neither of them knew what to do after that.

"My lady." Said one of her servants, a vampire called Jeremiah that belonged to her cult.

"What?" she snapped.

"Meriquoi, Aramore and Seron are all dead my lady. Arucard and the Shadow Walker are in the castle." He said, sweat running down his brow as he fought the almost overwhelming urge to flee. Mauve could cause a deadly fear, and used it liberally.

"They what?!" roared the vampiress. Jeremiah wasn't sure whom she was referring to, so he kept his mouth shut.

He viciously backhanded him; sending him sprawling to the floor, blood leaking from his mouth.

She turned in a flurry of red velvet and stormed to the throne room to await the arrival of her foes.

0o0o0

Arucard hissed in pain, his shoulder throbbing with the burn. He had to throw his weight into the door in order to open it, and that worried him. Shadow gave him a look and walked past him, partially phasing through both him and the door as she left. Seras, reached out hesitantly to touch him, but her fingers fell short of their destination as her master glared at her.

They walked into the room and stared. A huge throne carved from one solid boulder sat in the center of the room, facing them. A man sat upon it, his eyes dead and burning. Two pillars with torches built into them sat on either side of the throne, the only light. The rest of the room was lost to darkness, but an echoing chill pushed at the walls, and made the room feel huge.

A door in the shadows opened, the hinges creaking loudly. The sound bounced around the room, making it impossible to discern the location of the door.

"Arucard. How good of you to join us." Came a woman's voice, slippery and high-pitched. Mauve emerged from behind the throne, her red velvets clinging to her full figure.

Arucard sneered at her, his fangs glinting in the firelight.

"Ah. I see you've run into Seron. He was a good dog while he lasted."

Arucard ran his tongue along his bottom lip, and spoke the words that had been bubbling in his throat for some time now.

"Releasing power seals to level three until the target has been eternally silenced."

The blood red pentagram fit itself around his feet and then shattered, engulfing his form in rush of red. When he was finished, his hair fell to his ankles, and black leather coated his body.

Mauve threw aside her cloak and pulled a massive sword from a sheath concealed on her back. She leveled the blade, holding it as if it weighed nothing.

Seras found a column to hide behind while she loaded shells into her halconnen, keeping one eye on the fight, and the other on her hands.

Shadow launched herself at the demon in the throne, her blades flashing wickedly.

Mauve, Arucard and Seras all sprang into action as a result, the two older vampires clashing wildly, as Arucard dodged the bade and sought to rip her to shreds with his hell hounds.

Seras let loose a shell at the monster Shadow was fighting and grimaced when it had little effect. Shadow sunk her blades home again and again but the demon lord kept reforming himself until it was as if she were striking at empty air. He then lifted his hand and spoke in his own rough tongue, the words to an ancient spell.

The shadows began to move at his command and swirled at her feet. She looked down at them and willed them away from her, but they only wavered once before rising to engulf her slender frame. The darkness closed like a fist around her and she screamed as she was cast into the Deep, her essence scattered and caged with her kin.

Seras looked on in horror, without Shadow they were doomed! Her master was too heavily injured to save the day as he normally would and all she had was a useless gun. They were all going to die here, she just knew it.

The immortal, invincible Shadow was defeated. Not even Arucard could defeat her, and he was the strongest person she knew. How could they possibly hope to stand up against something the mighty Shadow Walker couldn't beat?

Arucard dodged another strike, his hellhounds sinking teeth into his enemies shoulder. Mauve reversed her next strike and plunged her sword into his familiar's neck, sending searing pain down the limb that bound them. Mauve increased the tangible aura of fear around her body and sent it crashing into her nemesis. He struck out with a claw like hand but missed, the fear creeping into his body and chilling him to the bone. He couldn't believe it, he was actually afraid. He flexed his fingers, fighting with his fear. He pulled at his insanity, wrapping the comforting dark nothingness around his conscience. He was afraid, he could deal with that, it just meant that the battle would be that much more fun.

He increased the intensity of his attack, launching his hellhounds all at once, his face splitting into a mad grin as he envisioned her bloody corpse. He opened his mouth, saliva dripping from his fangs as fear chased across her face.

-Oh yeah, - he thought smugly. – I still got it. –

He slammed into her, tearing at her flesh and seeking the bone beneath, his fingers dug as deep as they could, blood staining his white gloves cherry red. He drew back his arm to slash at her neck and Mauve found her opening, she pinned the nosfaratu to the floor, her blade digging painfully into his damaged shoulder. She leaned heavily on the hilt for a moment, taking the time to heal the bloody rents in her flesh. Then she stood and slammed her foot into his stomach.

Arucard was not fairing well, the fire had weakened him considerably, forcing him to heal the burns agonizingly slow. He was almost out of power, even with his seals released. If only Seras and her stupid sword hadn't drained half of his energy before the fight, he'd be sending this whore to hell right now. He pulled weakly at the sword while Mauve laughed from above him. The fatigue of his uphill battles was catching up to him, adding weights to his limbs and draining the spark of battle rage.

-I must be getting old. – He thought to himself, giggling slightly at the idea. He didn't think so though, he looked pretty good for two thousand if he did say so himself.

Seras dropped her gun in pure shock as she watched her master fall. No way! It was impossible! No one could defeat Arucard! She scrambled to his side, trying to lift the sword out of him, tears running down her face.

"Master! Master! You have to get up! Master!" She cried, pulling with all her might.

"Give it up girl, your precious master is finished!" mocked Mauve, a smug smile on her full lips.

"No!" screamed Seras.

-Mother. –

"No. Master can't die, he can't, you can't master."

-Mother, free me. I'll fix it for you. I can save him. Free me! –

-Allen. _Est nuvari kulonralk en venitora naliks. – _

-Say it out loud! –

"Est nuvari kulonralk en venitora naliks!" cried Seras, the words flowing easily from her this time. She held out her hand and felt the sword's weight rest there.

"You'll pay for this. You'll pay dearly bitch!" yelled Seras as she charged, the sword glowing with unholy power.

Mauve's eyes widened, she suddenly found herself under attack and without a weapon. She dodged as best she could but the sword caught her at the dip of the shoulder and ran to her hip. The edges of the wound burst apart, blood gushing fourth in rivers. Mauve staggered back and gasped with the pain.

Seras dove forward and pushed the sword through her heart, shredding it instantly. The vampiress screamed long and loud before she dissolved into a bloody heap, then burst into ashes. The dark flecks settled to the ground and lay silent and still.

Seras turned towards her master and made her way slowly over to him, a small smile tugging at her lips. She won. She'd killed Mauve. They'd be ok now.

Her master returned the smile, his eyes alight with pride for his child, then darkened with fear as they focused behind her. Seras gave him a puzzled look before spinning around to find the demon lord towering over her.

"Oh god." She whispered, her face white with terror.

The demon lord took her face in his hands and forced her to meet his eyes. She screamed as he invaded her mind, wrapped his essence around her brain and shut her down, the darkness separating her mind from her body.

-Kill him. - The demon ordered inside of her. To her horror she turned away from her new master and stalked towards her old, raising the Blade to Call All Darkness over her head, preparing to plunge it into him.

"Seras!" Arucard called, holding his hands before him, beseeching.

The blonde's face spilt into a wicked smile, one more commonly found on his face and her long tongue dangled from her lips, thirsty for his blood.

"Police-girl!" he screamed as the blade came down, embedding itself in his stomach.

Seras only smiled, then bent down to drink. She stopped short however, when she felt a strange power, pouring rapidly over his skin. She hissed at him, annoyed by his lack of screaming and this newfound interruption.

Arucard threw back his head and laughed. God it felt good! All the power he'd lost before was surging back into his veins, adding to what power he had left. He reached for Mauve's sword and pulled it easily out, then Seras' blade came out. He tossed the dead vampire's sword aside and then backhanded his child into a pillar, knocking her unconscious.

Fully healed and slightly more insane with the power rush he leapt forward, the Blade to Call All Darkness singing in his hands.

"Time to say goodbye!" he called in a singsong voice, mocking his opponent as he struck again and again. The demon howled without sound, the roar echoing through the vampire's mind instead. Arucard pulled back, and with both hands, impaled the monster on the cursed weapon, digging it in as deeply as possible.

Allen began to feed, drinking down the demon's energy. Arucard sat back to watch, floating above the ground, his long hair flying wildly about as he giggled insanely. The demon's flesh began to collapse inward until he was naught but bone, then they began to crumble, glowing with the sword's power. Then the frame imploded, tossing Arucard's already airborne form aside like a rag doll.

When the vampire managed to figure out which way was up and which way was down, he floated over to the pile of brimstone that use to be a demon. He tapped it experimentally, waiting to see if it would do anything interesting. Alas, a rock is just that however, and inanimate objects do not move.

Slightly disappointed, he floated over to where his child's form lay crumpled against the wall, and repeated the process. He tapped her with his finger, then sat back to wait. She moaned a little and struggled to sit up.

Arucard, just now coming down from his power high, grinned at her.

"Master?"

"It's over police-girl. We won." He told her.

"Oh. That's good." She said, then she touched her jaw where a nasty purple bruise was beginning to form and scowled at her master.

"Did you have to hit me so hard?"

"Hey! You were the one trying to kill me remember?" he snapped back hotly.

Seras shrunk back a little, not wanting to get hit again.

Arucard just laughed however and bent down to pull a twisted piece of metal that was once her brand new halconnen out of a pile of rubble.

"Oh on! Walter's going to kill me!" wailed the blonde, taking the broken weapon into her hands.

"You still have the Cassul don't you?" asked her master.

She checked the holster, having completely forgotten about her back up gun. It was still there and relatively undamaged.

"Good, that's really the only gun you need." Declared Arucard as he studied his old gun with a fond expression.

"Well, lets go home police-girl."

"Yeah." She answered.

0o0o0

"Master? We've been walking for three hours now. How do we get out of this place?"

"Hmm. You know, the main door use to be right here, but now it's gone. I guess Mauve did some remodeling."

"So how do we get out?"

"I really have no idea."

0o0o0

End part 18

Muhaha! You can't do anything without Shadow!


	19. Closure

Drowning in Darkness.

By: Lazeralk.

Standard disclaimers apply.

In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen.

Part 19

0o0o0

Ok, one last time, most of my boys are straight. Seron was in love with Mauve remember? Meriquoi is actually strait too. Aramore just likes to tease, it's his nature. And mine actually. I flirt on instinct, I can't help it and neither can he. He doesn't usually mean anything by it at all, its just what he does. It's a defense mechanism for both of us. There is no sex in this fic, or the Champaign room. Besides, what's wrong with a little boy-on-boy love? I think it's hot.

This is the final chapter and the epilogue combined so don't be surprised if there is a major time jump or something.

0o0o0

Shadow awoke to a familiar face hovering an inch above her own. A brilliant smile shaped her lips as she leapt at him, sending him all her love and happiness and relief. She felt his own joy surge through her mind as they wrapped each other in tangible emotion.

Shadow and her lover were reunited. She stood and found herself back in her own room, in her house in the Deep, and all around her the hum of thousands of psychic minds pressed inside of her until tears of joy streamed down her face.

Her people were free.

0o0o0

Arucard scowled at the wall, hoping for some kind of distraction. He sunk his fangs into his lower lip, a nervous habit.

"Arucard! Stop that, you'll get blood all over your suit." Scolded Walter, pulling the vampire down to straighten his tie.

"Now then, do you remember what you are supposed to do?"

Arucard nodded, shifting from foot to foot.

"Good. Then lets get this over with."

Arucard followed the Hellsing retainer out into the church, tugging at his gloves. He looked at the gathered Hellsing soldiers and frowned. There were about one hundred of them, all dressed in suits and watching him with mixed emotions.

He strode past them and stood at the steps to the alter, wishing for his coat and guns, but more so his glasses to hide behind. Walter smiled reassuringly and walked back the way he'd come, disappearing behind a door.

The pipe organ began to play and he turned to watch the door expectantly, the anticipation of the next few moments building inside his gut like a storm. The doors at the end of the row opened up and Seras Victoria emerged, a long flowing gown hugging her curves. She moved forward and walked the hall, smiling at the soldiers as they all turned to watch her drop flower petals along the way.

She reached Arucard's side and turned away from him, walking to stand to the side, her eyes locked on the door she'd just come through.

-She's so beautiful. – Echoed through Arucard's mind.

At that instant, Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing stood framed in the door way and he silently agreed with his child's appraising comment. She was indeed beautiful, her long white silks marking her to be a true woman as she walked down the aisle on Walter's arm, her blue eyes glinting behind her veil.

Arucard fought the sudden urge to flee. He stood rooted to the spot, all his vampiric senses trained on the woman walking towards him. He was getting married to his master.

God help him.

Seras sighed as she watched the ceremony, happily leaning against Malikai. It was so romantic.

Arucard smiled goofily at her when she reached his side and slipped his arm around her waist.

"If you fuck this up I swear to god I'll kill you." She whispered to him, staring straight ahead.

He chuckled.

Father Anderson growled at them both, and then at Malikai. This was his fault, the paladin had agreed to perform the service on the condition that the Hellsing organization eliminated Section XIII and grant him sanctuary. He and Malikai were now sharing an apartment and he was now pastor of the local church.

Just because he'd agreed to perform what he considered an abomination before God didn't mean he had to like it. He was however a man of his word. He glared at the vampire in front of him before flipping open his bible to a previously marked page and then recited the words he knew by heart anyway.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of this…..man…...and this woman in a state of…..holy…..matrimony."

Arucard was laughing again.

Integra very subtly stepped on his foot.

The ceremony passed rather quickly for Arucard who couldn't tear his eyes of his new wife. He lifted the veil from her face and caressed her cheek lovingly as the Judas priest stumbled through the words, fighting his disgust at being within three feet of his most heated enemy on the happiest day of said enemies life. Er…death.

Of all the indignity, marring a vampire in the house of God, it was blasphemy in its purest form.

Finally Father Anderson reluctantly announced them husband and wife and had to swallow the bile in his throat twice before he gave them permission to kiss, at which point he turned away from them.

The entire congregation of Hellsing troops raised a loud cheer at their leader's blushing display of affection. Even Seras and her own husband were cheering wildly. The reception had been brief and joyous, Integra flat out refusing to dance. She'd squawked rather indignantly when Arucard had pulled her out onto the floor with his inhuman strength and led her through a very archaic waltz.

In spite of herself she found herself laughing. Integra couldn't have been happier.

0o0o0

(Forty-nine years later)

Seras clung to her master's arm as the rain poured down around them. Her ruby eyes gazed at the names carved on the gravestones, a deep sadness welling up inside of her.

'Walter.' She thought, her heart aching.

'Malikai.' She choked on a sob as her eyes settled on the grave of her beloved husband.

'Integra.' She felt the tears flowing down her cheeks, still the same after all these years. Arucard was shielding as hard as he could, keeping his own tormented emotions from reaching his child's now sharpened senses.

Her voice echoed through his head, as it was wont to do when she was projecting. He clamped his jaws together and fought the urge to cry. She'd only been dead for a month, and the pain felt as raw as it did when he held her frail hand, old and withered as she lay dying in her bed. He was so proud of her and so disappointed in her that she hadn't let him turn her. She was defiant and proud to the end, and a small smile tugged his lips at the thought. He remembered the mix of unbelievable agony and pure joy that had rushed through his veins when she died, carving out his heart and shattering it while the seals that had bound him for over one hundred years finally broke. He was free, but at too great a price.

Seras turned her body into his and he absently wrapped her shaking form in his arms as she sobbed, tears of blood running down her face.

He tore his eyes away from the graves and looked up at the now abandoned house, his eyes burning the picture into his mind for all eternity.

He took his child's hand in his own and led her away from the only home ever she'd known as a vampire. He looked up into the glowing full moon and walked away into the night with out looking back.

The Hellsing legacy was over, the final page turned. And on this day in one year's time he'd return to open the book again. Hellsing was gone, but he was not and never would be. The vampire Arucard smiled in the darkness, the light glinting off his fangs.

"Death is only the beginning." He whispered.

And they ruled the night happily ever after.

The End.

Lazeralk 1-08-2004

Look for the sequel! Beginning's End is up and completed!

Edited 6-18-2009 ~Lazeralk ^_^


	20. To My Reviewers

Hey, this is just an author's note and big thank you to all my reviewers. I really couldn't have written this fic with out the support I got from all of you. I revised chapters 1 through 11 and fixed some grammar things, but not too many actual story changes. If the ending confused any of you, here's the explanation: my muse (everyone say hi to Kiyah) couldn't figure out whom she liked Arucard with best, Integra or Seras, so she decided to pair him with both. He married Integra, but walks off holding Seras' hand after one last visit to his wife's grave. So you can assume he has a much longer lasting relationship with her afterwards. I was thinking of writing a sequel focusing on Arucard and Seras as they try to adjust to life (or rather death) after Hellsing dissolves. If you guys want it just let me know and I'll do my best to keep you entertained, maybe even Shadow will drop by. But this is the end of Drowning in Darkness.  
  
Once again, thank you so much for your comments and suggestions, your encouragement means the world to me.  
  
2-3-2004  
  
All my love, Lazeralk Renelm  
  
Ok! Drowning in Darkness now has a sequel! It's called Beginning's End and has one chapter posted so far. I'm not sure where it's going, but I'm hoping the muse does. Cookies are such wonderful motivators. So check out Beginning's End and see if it lives up to expectations. C&C are begged for.  
  
Love you all, Laz 


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